


Pale Fire

by RadioActivity



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Bill is pretty scary here. As he is in general, Dipper and Mabel save a bae, Escape, Freedom, M/M, No suicide attempted, Suicide mention, Will has lost his desire to live thanks to Bill, Will is stuck with Bill
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-17
Updated: 2019-07-18
Packaged: 2020-05-13 14:46:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 5
Words: 35,310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19253311
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RadioActivity/pseuds/RadioActivity
Summary: Dipper Pines is in class when a weird classmate, Bill, catches his attention. They end up friends? somehow, and spend some time together. He and Mabel get pointed out Will, as Bill's worst enemy, and the guy Bill has been tormenting for as long as they've been stepbrothers. Dipper notices Bill's attention on Will is a little odd, so he mentions to Bill that maybe it isn't hate... and things get far worse from there.





	1. The Prissy Failure

**Author's Note:**

> This is a non-supernatural AU. Dipper and Mabel had never met Bill or anything that isn't totally human or animal in this story either. This is just a story I had a strong desire to write at some point in the last three years... and it completely vanished from my computer, 20 pages in! A year or so later, I found it again and I was so shook I immediately set to finishing it... and here is the first chapter. Will is a broken sort of shell of a being. Being tormented and hurt and frightened and bullied for years led Will to give up on just about everything he's ever had, and left wondering why he is still alive, despite his own efforts to try not to be. As I approached the end of this tale, I had also approached the end of my favorite webcomic which told me what I needed to hear... everyone who is good deserves a happy ending. This is not a tragedy.

Dipper tipped his head back, balancing his eraser on his nose, listening idly to the professor droning on in the background about quizzes and the dress code... it was massively dull. He had to take this class to get his degree, sure... but he wished he didn't have to.

“... psst,” someone hissed softly in his direction. He tipped his eyes back behind him to look at the person calling to him. The guy in question looked like a seriously over-professional mess... He'd been through something tragic at some point in his life, if the eyepatch was real -Dipper had his doubts after seeing his Grunkle's fake eyepatch- and he had on a formal pair of black pants, held up with suspenders over a pure white shirt, and there was a formal black hat resting on the desk, which Dipper could easily see on the guy's blonde hair, which was brushed down and styled formally. “... wanna see something cool?” the guy whispered.

“A hairbrush would be cooler than this class,” Dipper whispered back. “... sure. Show me.”

“Great!” the guy whispered back, grinning. “Alright, just watch the professor, you'll see it probably pretty soon.”

Dipper looked back down at the professor, picking up his eraser, wondering what there was to see down there. The professor continued going on about the dress code, before pausing to unscrew his waterbottle. “If you value your limbs and skin in general, make sure you are wearing clothes to cover all of it, some of the chemicals we're working with can eat right through skin.” He took a drink of his liquid before spitting it out in a violent burst, all over his table. “WHAT?” he growled, looking down into his cup. “What is in here?!” He slammed the waterbottle down, turning to face the students. “Which one of you put this slime into my drink?”

The students were laughing, surprised by their teacher's violent reaction. Dipper was among them, highly amused by the prank the guy behind him had pulled... he hadn't expected it at all. The professor was clearly furious, but any attempt he made to calm the students resulted in louder laughter, and finally he slammed his hand down on the table.

“If no one will fess up, you will get your first exam on Friday, and I don't mean a little pop quiz. I mean a hundred point exam,” the professor said, irritated. “... We're going to finish up today's class the way I'd planned to. So you'll only get one class of me teaching you before you've got to take the exam. It's over the first two chapters of your textbook. Every single one of these little pranks will lead to greater punishments, so consider that before you pull another one.”

“Enevitable,” he smirked behind Dipper, and Dipper softly chuckled. What a real surprise. The rest of the class was a barely held-together lesson, before they were dismissed.

Dipper walked next to the guy out of the classroom, glancing over at him. “That was something... Like, I didn't expect that to happen at all.”

“My specialty,” the guy winked back, amused. “By the by, I'm Bill Cipher! Nice ta meetcha!”

“What an odd name,” Dipper chuckled. “I'm Dipper Pines, nice to meet you.”

“While we're talking about odd names,” Bill responded, grinning from ear to ear.

“Ah... yeah. It's not my birthname,” Dipper shrugged.

“Bill's not my birthname either,” Bill answered, entertained.

“William?” Dipper questioned, glancing ahead to spot his next classroom.

“Ugh, no, definitely not!” Bill wrinkled his nose. “... That name is my brother's name... I have no desire to claim it. Ooh, you see that guy there?”

“Umm... the one with his hands full?” Dipper questioned, glancing at the guy Bill was pointing out.

“Yes!” Bill went off to go up to the guy. He slipped something from his bag onto the guy's pile in his hands, before rushing off to stand next to Dipper. “Alright! Let's get going!”

“Uh... sure, but what did you do?” Bill grabbed him by the arm, leading him away from the guy who was standing with his arms full.

“Well, I think you'll-”

The startled scream from behind them got Dipper to skid to a stop, looking over his shoulder. “What was that?”

Bill kept pulling him, walking away from it. “Hehe! Not a problem, not a problem! He was just really really startled! I mean, you don't expect to get THAT in your arms out of the blue, for sure!”

“What- what was it?” Dipper wrinkled his nose, baffled by Bill's actions in his pranking.

“I don't know,” Bill answered, brightly. “I wasn't there to see it, right?”

Once they were out of the school, Bill was laughing as he sunk down on a bench. “Oh, man, that was amazing, his scream! Premium!”

“What do you think was in his hands?” Dipper winced, looking around.

“Hehehe!” Bill rocked forward and back, rubbing his legs. “It was a thing I found at the bottom of my brother's hamper! It's pretty moldy, so it's no wonder he was freaked out!”

“Uh... Your brother has a moldy /something/ at the bottom of his hamper? Where his clothes go?” Dipper asked, startled. “... Why?”

“Eh...” Bill wrinkled his nose. “... The last person he dated, they were gross. Himself, he's super super clean... but this guy, he was a disaster. I tried to do away with him several times but every time I got caught and got in a lot of trouble.”

“Oh, that's good, you care a lot about him, huh?” Dipper asked, brightly.

“Absolutely not!” Bill returned, irritated. “I hate him, almost as much as I do the ex... Believe me, Will is not anyone I want to know or be seen with.”

“Oh...” Dipper looked away. “Um, I got really distracted, I meant to go to my next class now and know where it is when it starts.”

“Mmm.” Bill tipped his head back. “Alright. I'm gonna go walk around the school and see what else I can do to keep me entertained. Enjoy your other classes, or... you know, enjoy your eraser time. Whichever.”

Dipper chuckled, nodding. “Will do.” He went off to go to his next class. He finally found it, nodding in satisfaction. Perfect. He went to the cafeteria and took a seat, settling with his drink he'd bought, reflecting on the guy he'd met. What a weird sort of guy...

Dipper choked when arms were flung around his neck, hugging him tightly. “Dip-dip! How's class?” Mabel beamed, snuggling against him.

“Mabel!” Dipper managed, startled. “... Geez, I didn't hear you coming! Man!”

Mabel giggled. “How is class for you? It's great for me!”

“Ah...” Dipper smiled. “It's pretty good. Classes are good so far, but you know, they haven't really started yet! These are just prelim classes, like, here's all the things you should know about classes... and goodbye.”

“I suppose!” Mabel took a seat next to him, kicking her feet. “So, what're you doing in here? I've been looking all over for you.”

“Oh... I'm just thinking,” Dipper chuckled. “I met a super weird guy in my first class.”

“Good weird or creepy weird? Was he the kind of weird that means I'd have to be afraid of him maybe touching me?” Mabel tapped her chin, thinking.

“Hmm...” Dipper took a drink of his soda, mulling over her question. “To be honest... I'm not sure? I think I'll find out, since we've got that class together.”

“Well, why is he weird? Maybe I can help,” Mabel nodded.

“He is weird because...” Dipper paused. “... well, it's like... okay. I was sitting in class and my attention wandered super hard. So I was playing with my eraser and I heard someone whisper to me. I turned around and he asked if I wanted to see something really cool. I said yes, and he said to look at the professor, and I'd see it.”

Mabel was already grinning, wondering what Dipper saw. “Oh, he sounds fun!”

“He is, but I looked and I didn't see anything. The professor talked for another couple minutes, and then he went to take a drink from his bottle and spit it all over his desk and whirled on us like a fury. He demanded to know who'd put slime in his waterbottle. The whole class erupted, in a hilarious fit... the professor ended up giving us our first exam on Friday since no one confessed to who'd done the slime thing... I don't think any of us minded too much, it was really hilarious,” Dipper chuckled.

Mabel was doubled over, laughing in surprise at the super unusual prank Bill had pulled. “Slime? I hope it was a safe slime like... like jello... but that is hilarious!”

“It was!” Dipper chuckled. “After that, we were walking to look for my next class, and Bill was like, ah, that guy, and he strolled up to this guy who had his arms full of stuff, and he put something on top of the stuff and he hustled us out of there. As we left, I heard the guy's unbridled scream from behind us and we kept walking. Bill laughed as he told me it was something moldy he'd found in his brother's hamper... and we talked a couple more minutes and then I told him I wanted to look for my next class and off I went. He was really unusual, but a lot of fun. I dread the day I get one of those pulled on me.”

“... uh, he found something moldy in his brother's clothing hamper?” Mabel wrinkled her nose. “... like, a clothing item?”

“I guess. It was from Will's ex-boyfriend, not Will himself...” Dipper shrugged. “Bill had a lot to say.”

“Hmm,” Mabel crossed her arms. “He sounds really interesting. I'd like to meet him. If you get along with him, introduce me.”

“Look who it is!” Bill flung himself down next to Dipper, grinning from ear to ear. “Hiya, Pine Tree! What's up? You have a female clone!”

“Oh, uh, no. This is my twin sister, Mabel,” Dipper gestured to her, awkwardly. “What're you doing here, Bill?”

“Ahh...” Bill made a face.

“Woah! Dip! You didn't tell me-” Mabel paused. “You didn't tell me what he looked like...”

“Right, yeah... I don't think it really was something I should talk about?” Dipper ruffled his hair. “ mean, he really does have a nice look, but...”

“Yeah, but the eye! That's so cool! I mean, it's possible it's like our Grunkle's, but I don't think Bill is the same as Grunkle Stan,” Mabel said, admiring him.

“Oh... yeah,” Bill crossed his arms. “This is real. I was born without it, but it's a real scene under here, so I keep the patch on... not really something I want to talk about, female Pine Tree.”

“Right, I'm so sorry. It's not my place to talk about it, I just am really fascinated!” Mabel winced. “Sorry, Bill.”

“Yeah... Well, what I'm doing here... I pulled a couple more of my genius schemes, and one of the teachers caught me... kicked me out of that building for the day. So... I went to wandering. Happened to catch sight of you and female you, so I came right over! Hiya, female Pine Tree... uh, Heart, I guess,” Bill gestured to her shirt. “... Something like that!”

“Uh, yeah, no, not my jam,” Mabel wrinkled her nose. “I'm not a Heart kind of girl. I'm more one of a kind than that.”

“Exploding Planet kind of one of a kind?” Bill laughed, amused. “Or like, ooh, like Exploding Heart! That's even rarer than-”

Mabel coughed, shaking her head. “No, no, neither of those. Like, Rainbows or... Heavenly Choruses, or...”

“Shooting stars,” Dipper muttered, taking a sip of his drink.

“Hey, yeah, I do really like those!” Mabel beamed.

“Uh, yeah, I know, your room is covered in them,” Dipper shook his head.

“Shooting Star works for me,” Bill winked. “Shooting Star and Pine Tree, it's perfect, a real duo there!”

“Why're you calling us that and not our real names?” Mabel questioned, curiously.

“Ah, well, Pine Tree and I here, we don't even use our real names so, there's no point in that, you, I think you probably do, who'd choose your name as an alias?” Bill gestured at her. “But this way, we all kind of fit together, and none of us use our real names!”

“Oh, yeah... I get it,” Mabel said. She glanced around the cafeteria. “... Oh, Dipper, Dipper, look! Look at him!” Mabel pointed, eyes wide.

Dipper followed her point, spotting a guy sitting toward the front of the cafeteria, bright blue hair glowing as he read through a book. “Oh, yeah. Blue haired one? It's really nice, I wouldn't do it to my hair, but it looks great.”

“I would completely go pink, but then, you know, I couldn't go back,” Mabel tugged at her hair, looking at it. “... Oh! I could bring you in and then they'd know my color!”

“Uh, yeah, that's true,” Dipper nodded.

“Still though, that's really brave,” Mabel looked back at the blue hair, admiration in her voice. “I wish I were that brave.”

“Brave?” Bill cut across them, irritated. “If you think that prissy failure is anything admirable, than it's pretty obvious you don't know him!”

“Oh, you know him?” Mabel looked over at him, surprised. “How's he a failure? I mean, what's not admirable about him?”

“Everything!” Bill frowned. “Yeah, he loves the blue hair, it's super easy to put into his stupid blonde hair... Ugh. Look, you can like him as much as you want, but don't try to talk positively about that worthless crybaby around me, I won't sit here and let you guys enjoy him while I'm here.”

“Um, so... he's- he's your brother, Will?” Dipper asked, quietly.

Bill visually pouted, pursing his lips. “Very, very, very, very, very unfortunately! I wish he wasn't here! I guess he isn't competent enough to get in anywhere else, the crybaby!”

“Oh, he's the one with the moldy hamper!” Mabel nodded her head. “Got it! I should go over and say hi, he seems like we'd be pretty good friends! The blue hair, and just everything I've heard so far...”

Bill scratched his nails on the table, looking agitated. “That's fine, go see Crybaby if you want. I'm gonna go back to my dorm, I don't even want to see people giving him the kindness he doesn't deserve.”

“See you, Bill,” Dipper chuckled, waving goodbye.

Mabel went off to go speak with Will, and Dipper glanced up at the clock. He supposed he needed to go to class, fifteen minutes early was likely fine... He headed off.

 

That evening, Dipper was lying on his bed, reading through the second chapter of his textbook, intending to study his way through until Friday. He sighed, turning a page. How irritating... His phone rang and Dipper answered it, glancing up. “Hi, Mabel, what's up?”

“Dip, do you ever have times where you see someone saying bad things and you try to disbelieve them, after all, you don't know the person they're talking about, but when you meet that person, they sort of confirm what that one person was saying? It's like,” Mabel paused. “I don't want to dislike Will, he seems like he'd be a great guy, I mean, he's gay, that whole LGBT vibe is my thing I get along so well with all of them I've met, he's got blue hair, we'd be so close! But when I went up to him to talk to him, he gave me a doubletake and packed up, and disappeared!”

Dipper frowned to himself, thinking. “He just took off?”

“Yeah! When I tried to catch him to talk to him about why he left, he just gave me this cold sort of look, and shook his head. He said that he didn't want to talk to me. I flinched and grabbed at him begging him to stay and talk to me. I said it seemed like we'd be great friends... he looked around before looking right at me, and he said that he didn't trust me, and please leave him alone, and he just left. I don't get it, Dip, I didn't even talk to him!”

“... We were right next to his brother. It's possible he saw that and that's why he doubted you,” Dipper drummed his fingers on his arm. “I mean, those two really don't get along. Maybe he thinks you're some kind of trap set up by Bill?”

“I sure don't know,” Mabel sighed. “I”m going to keep trying, though... It's just tough.”

“Hmm. Yeah, I don't know, Mabel. I'm not sure how to help with that,” Dipper sighed. “I wish you luck though.”

“Thanks.”

 

Dipper didn't see another sign of Bill until their next class, spotting Bill settling in next to him, grinning from ear to ear. “Hiya, Pine Tree! You look more interested so far, let's see if it holds in through the class!”

“It should, I don't want to fail the exam,” Dipper answered, smiling. “How've you been, Bill?”

“Pretty good!” Bill chuckled. “I had a really fun time talking with Crybaby about Mabel's attempt to talk to him!”

“Oh... yeah, he really didn't want to talk to her, huh? I don't know what got into him,” Dipper sighed. “Did she do something wrong?”

“Not at all,” Bill said, amused. “He refused to talk to her because she was with me, it was really quite simple!”

“Oh... How come he did that?” Dipper asked, puzzled.

“Weeeeeelllll...” Bill grinned from ear to ear. “When we were in K-12...”

“... oh,” Dipper winced, looking down at the ground.

“Yes! I was quite dedicated to making sure his life was as ruined as he makes mine, and so now, he really avoids me or anything to do with me as much as possible!” Bill answered, amused. “Want to hear my favorite story?”

Dipper was silent, trying to process the whole tale, feeling bad for Will.

“Alright, alright, so... I was walking past his room to my own... and I heard him up to something fun in there,” Bill smirked, winking. “A real good time. So, I decided I should embarrass the stuff out of him, I slipped in and-”

“Oh... Uh, Bill, isn't that kind of... I mean, he's your brother...” Dipper wrinkled his nose. “I mean, you're not implying something like...”

Bill laughed, tossing his head. “Brother, yes, but not biological, that makes it more tolerable! Right, right?”

“Uh... I guess?” Dipper rubbed his arm. “... I just, I can't see it...”

“Well, it was what it was,” Bill shrugged. “It was super humiliating for him, and afterwards, he was just covered in his own stuff and he was just _crying_ and I loved it! I'd do it again any day to see him crying like that. I enjoyed it too, but obviously not the same way he did. I just enjoyed seeing him crying and humiliated and I didn't see even a breath of him for a full week after that!”

“Uh... I got it...” Dipper held back his shudder. “I, look, I trust Mabel like I trust myself to keep breathing, but I would actually murder her if... if she did what I feel like I'm getting from what you're saying.”

“Oh... yeah, he tried to, but... he's really weak, and he was so busy crying and shooting ropes, he really couldn't manage to hurt me,” Bill chuckled.

“Uh... yeah...” Dipper looked away. “Well... um. I'm not sure if not biological overwrites the brother thing.”

“... So, wait, are you implying either that I molested my brother, or that I sexually assaulted my roommate?” Bill wrinkled his nose. “I mean, which is it? What are you saying? I mean, I'm kind of pissed off on either one.”

“Uh, well, it means that you, basically sexually assalted your roommate, and you took pleasure in his crying and sadness,” Dipper thought to himself. “It seems kind of odd, Bill.”

“Ugh,” Bill muttered, irritated. “Well, I wouldn't do it for any kind of... ugh, it didn't please me for... for those kind of... forget it! He's back in here.”

Dipper and Bill fell silent, focusing on the class. Afterwards, Bill followed along with Dipper, too bothered to really talk to him. “Want to come with me to the cafeteria?” Dipper gestured that way.

“... Yeah, I guess,” Bill frowned. “... I just, I'm uncomfortable thinking that you seem to think that I... ugh... I do not like him.”

“I got it, I just think you're lucky that he didn't, like, report that,” Dipper winced.

'“... You are making me angry, quit talking about it,” Bill waved his hand, ignoring Dipper.

“Uh, got it,” Dipper looked around. “Cafeteria... hey, maybe Mabel will show up again. We can say hi.”

Bill was silent, following behind Dipper. Dipper got breakfast, munching on it idly. Dipper noticed Bill was focused on something across the room and he glanced at it.

Will was reading another book, deeply focused on it. Bill growled softly, getting to his feet.

“Damn it. I'll be back!” Bill went off to go speak to Will, Will fleeing the moment he detected Bill anywhere near him. Bill snatched up the backpack Will had against his chair, saying something dark and cruel to Will, getting him to freeze, and finally, tears to flow down one side of his face.

They talked a minute before heading out, leaving the cafeteria. Dipper watched them go, curious.

He spotted them talking heatedly, Will looking fearful, looking as far away from Bill as possible. Bill took a step towards him and Will flinched, backing away. Mabel popped up out of nowhere, throwing her arms around Will's shoulders from behind, cheerfully joining into their conversation.

Bill threw his hands up before leaving them, going back inside. He slumped down onto his chair next to Dipper, arms crossed. “Shooting Star is a gigantic pain, you know... she is the same as Crybaby at heart.”

“Oh? What did- what did she do?” Dipper flinched.

“Ugh. I was talking to him, and he said the dumbest thing ever... I went to punish him... but Shooting Star popped up. She threw her arms around his shoulders and seemed extremely eager to ruin our conversation so I left them,” Bill frowned, resting his elbow on the table. “They're still out there talking, look at them.”

Dipper looked back over out there. “That's good, he wouldn't talk to Mabel last time.”

“Crybaby doesn't really talk,” Bill muttered, sulkily. “So, she won't get much out of him.”

“She wants to be his friend, so, I think anything she gets out of him makes her happy,” Dipper shrugged, continuing to eat. He pushed his tray away, crossing his arms. “Ah... It looks like twenty more minutes until class. I had better clean up and get ready to go.”

“... I can't stand that they're out there talking!” Bill said, irritated. “I want her to let him go and leave him to the life he deserves.”

“Oh, Bill, I think everyone deserves friends,” Dipper wrinkled his nose. “I mean, I guess there's a few people I don't think do or did... but since I don't think he's as bad as like, Hitler... I think he does deserve them.”

“... He'll date her, you know? I don't want to hurt her to get her away from him,” Bill's tone was ominous. “I have done some truly unbelievable things to get them away from him.”

“Date her? So he's bi?” Dipper asked, impressed. “That's cool, I think some things take a lot of bravery, like, being bi and pan and stuff...”

Bill was silent a moment, irritated. “Pan.”

“Oh, that's neat,” Dipper nodded, picking up his tray. “Be right back.” He went to dump his tray, putting it up, going back to Bill. “Back.”

“...If you don't want me to hurt your sister, make sure you warn her not to date him,” Bill muttered. “... What are you?”

“Uh, I'll warn her, and I'm, uh, I'm straight,” Dipper pointed at himself. “I mean, I don't have any kind of problem with other sexualities, I've just never had an attraction to them. You?”

“I'm pan too,” Bill answered, his voice caged. “I just, you know, we're weird people, grew up in a really unusual home... We don't use our real names, even, why would I judge someone for what parts they have?”

“I got it,” Dipper nodded. “I guess I'm kind of... uh, what's the... the word for it? Shallow? I do take notice of the things that I probably shouldn't... I mean, I don't just off the cuff exclude girls who don't have the things I mentioned, but...I do notice girls who have them.”

“... I think everyone has... that, on some level. I think we're all attracted to things specifically...” Bill sat up. “I'm going back out there. If I leave them, I will have to-”

“Wait, wait, hold on,” Dipper winced. He pulled out his phone, shooting Mabel a text. He spotted Mabel laughing and then she looked down. She said something to Will, before checking her phone. She said something softly to Will, before patting his shoulder, before going back inside to talk to Dipper.

“Dipper, what was that?” Mabel asked, leaning on the table. “I was talking to Will, finally, and you told me to come back in here!”

“I'm sorry,” Dipper made a face. “I just-”

“Don't...” Bill pointed at her, anger in his eye, an odd sort of anger that made both Dipper and Mabel chilled. “Don't date him. If you date him, I will have to really drive you away, and make you wish you hadn't.”

“I, uh... Isn't he, uh, isn't he gay?” Mabel wrinkled her nose, looking toward Bill a little fearfully. “... I mean, if he's gay, then you don't have to-”

“Pan,” Bill let out an irritated huff. “Pan, he's pan, and don't date him. I will actually cause you harm to keep you away from him. He doesn't deserve it, and I will make you regret dating him, if you do.”

“Oh, he's pan? Geez, now I feel like I was teasing him out there. It was very friendly, we did a lot of fun conversation that could have looked like flirting...” Mabel paused. “I thought he was gay.”

“To you, he is, understand?” Bill focused on her, his nails digging into the table.

“I... I got it, I won't date him,” Mabel sighed, crossing her arms. “Can I go back to keep talking to him now? Was this the reason I got pulled away, to be bothered not to date someone I was sure was just gay?”

“It was, sorry, Mabel. He said he'd actually hurt you if you dated him, I wanted to make sure you knew,” Dipper nodded. “Alright, I'm gonna head to class. Have fun chatting with him.”

“I will, if I can catch him again!” Mabel nodded, heading off. Dipper went off as well, heading to class.

Bill continued to sit, irritated, looking off toward where Mabel went. Finally, he got to his feet, heading off. He knew where Will had went, and he wanted to burst with how angry he was.

He stalked off to go find Will, spotting Will sitting comfortably under the far left tree on the campus, reading his book with focus. When he spotted Bill, he flinched again, stiffening. “... yes? W-what? Haven't... haven't you already... What can I do?” He pressed his hair to his face, hiding behind it, praying that Bill would just leave. “I won't do anything... anything that you would need to... to punish me for...”

“Don't ask her out. And don't agree to date her if she asks you out,” Bill pointed at him, his voice full of ice and fury. “You've tried to hide it before and you remember what happened, don't you, Crybaby?”

Will whimpered, ducking his head. “I- I won't. As long as you're... as long as you're here, I won't do anything to make myself happy... I know what will happen. I... I know.”

Bill strolled up to him, grabbing him by the hair, yanking his head back. “You're absolutely right, you blue snake,” Bill hissed in his face. “I don't want you to be happy, I don't want to see or even imagine you intimate with her, and if you know what's good for her, you'll stay away from her.”

Will shuddered, closing his eye, sobbing silently. “I- I will... I'll stay away from her.”

“... Are you into her?” Bill demanded, his voice ice cold. “Does she do it for you? Push your buttons? Is she the kind of girl you'd do dirty things with and enjoy?”

“N-no,” Will silently cried, afraid of what Bill might do if he confirmed it. “No, I... I'm not attracted to her. Pyramid, please, leave me alone...”

Bill snarled, before falling silent, looking into Will's face. “I hate that your face looks so clean, you're missing the eye too, but you don't look mangled! You're the one who deserves to look like this, not me!” He flipped his eyepatch up, growling. “Why do you look so clean when you've got the same thing I do, and I have this mangled mess and you don't look like there's a thing wrong with you? You don't know how many times I've wanted to mangle that side of your face so you're ugly too!”

Will silently sobbed, sinking down to the ground, the tears flowing down his cheek, Bill still holding his hair in a vice-like grip. Bill stared at him, irritated.

“You're such a coward Crybaby... every time you get in this kind of position, you cry endlessly to see yourself out of it. Has it ever worked?”

Will was silent, before opening his eye slowly, looking up at Bill. “I, ah- no... I- I don't do it for... I just can't control my... I don't do it on purpose...”

Bill stared into Will's face, before yanking him back up by the hair, pulling him into a deep, brutal kiss, before releasing him, letting Will slump against the ground. “If you do something that makes me angry... I will punish you, and it will be in the worst way you can ever remember, except even worse than the last time.”

Will nodded, tearfully, pressing his face against the grass, to hide it. “I- I won't... I won't. I won't, I promise...”

“Great,” Bill glanced at him before strolling off, leaving Will to cower on the ground behind him.

 

On Friday, Dipper settled down in the classroom, sighing. What a tough thing. Now Mabel couldn't get Will to answer her back, and she was stressing out about it. Dipper figured that Bill had something to do with it. But he wasn't positive... When Bill settled in next to him, Dipper looked over at him. “Mornin' Bill...”

“Morning, Pine Tree!” Bill grinned, settling down in his seat. “How're you doing? Ready for the exam?”

“Best I can be,” Dipper sighed. “You...?”

“Of course!” Bill waved him off. “Of course I am.”

“Uh, Bill? Mabel says that Will won't text her back... is that... uh, did you say something to him?” Dipper made a face.

“I did what I needed to do,” Bill shrugged. “He should be keeping his distance from her now. If he doesn't, I'll find out...”

“Ah... how did... I just can't even imagine you guys talking!” Dipper shook his head.

“I went to where he usually sits on the grounds and I punished and threatened him,” Bill shrugged.

“Ah,” Dipper muttered, looking away from him. “... When you say punished, I get the vibe that I don't want to know what... what that means...”

“Heh, I added a fun little punishment for him on top of the other things... He really doesn't like it when I do intimate kinds of things with him...” Bill grinned from ear to ear, amused. “So I punished him with a really hard kiss, and he promised he wouldn't date her, he promised after that, I can assure you...”

“Umm...” Dipper wrinkled his nose. “How can you... I mean... Look, I think you're a super cool guy-”

“Thank you!” Bill grinned.

“But I just don't see how you can do that stuff and you don't... you don't even think about it...” Dipper paused a moment. “Doesn't- don't your punishments... Aren't they really unusually intimate for, for punishments? Are you sure you're actually punishing him because of all the stuff you've said, or is it... is it an intimate thing? Do you... can you be sure that it's not... like, an attraction kind of thing?”

Bill's face crumbled for a moment and Dipper found himself looking at a Bill who didn't have a face. Metaphorically, he supposed, Bill still had a face, but there was no expression at all on it. Finally, Bill shuddered and crossed his arms. His face looked... it was odd and uncomfortable, and he sighed, ducking his head.

“Why are you saying this kind of trash to me? Have I done something personally to you, Pine Tree?”

“Uh, no, I-”

“... look, I don't think that I have any kind of weird... thing for him. I really don't. I really hate him, and if you think it's some kind of... thing, you're wrong,” Bill frowned. “I didn't kiss him out of pleasure, I didn't torment him because I get boners from it... I don't like seeing him cry for some sexual thing... I just... I don't know... hell, now I feel like I have to justify what I do to him... I...” he glanced up. “... Professor is here.”

“Oh, so he is. We can talk more about this later!” Dipper assured, turning forward, getting his pencil ready.

Bill struggled through the exam, finally finishing it among the last in the class. He turned it in, taking a seat outside the classroom. Dipper's vile comments were still jammed in his head and he didn't know what to make of them. Of course, well, of course not... Bill wasn't attracted to Will. Definitely not.

When Dipper came out, he spotted Bill and waved at him, walking over. “How'd you do?”

“... I don't know,” Bill answered, brow knit. “... I couldn't focus. Not well? Probably? That Crybaby shot at me really wrecked my focus...”

“No, it wasn't a shot at you, I think maybe you actually do like him and you don't want to come to terms with that...” Dipper took a seat next to him. “Have you been considering it that way since I asked? I mean, you don't want people to date him-”

“I don't,” Bill huffed.

“You also force kisses and sexual punishments on him if he breaks your rules... and it seems like that's all kind of romantic-ish stuff for you,” Dipper shrugged. “I mean, if he can't date anyone, he can't fall in love with them or have sex with them... if he doesn't break your rules, then he can't ever be with anyone else. I think that's maybe because you want him with you-”

Bill growled, a low, inhuman noise, digging his nails into his pants. “I just- I don't...”

Those words were over the top of what Bill didn't want to hear. It was like having a nail pounded into his head and Bill couldn't really refute entirely what Dipper was saying. He was right, he couldn't stand the idea of Will dating anyone, or kissing them, or having sex with them... and he never really had pinpointed why, maybe it was jealousy that Will was dating and he wasn't, but Bill never really knew.

“No, it's not that!” Bill finally lied, irritated. “It's that that damn Crybaby doesn't have this same mutilation on his face that I do... I'm jealous of him, not that I want to...”

“Well, maybe so,” Dipper winced. “Sorry to throw all this at you, it just really seems like it could be the case.”

“Well, it isn't,” Bill got to his feet. “Don't ever say anything like this to me again.”

With that, he left Dipper to sit in the hallway, ambling angry and embittered through the college grounds. When he spotted Will ahead, moving toward the cafeteria, it felt like something snapped in his brain.

He lunged forward, grabbing Will's bag, yanking it back, sending Will sprawled out on the concrete, looking startled up at Bill. Will immediately began crying, rolling away from him. “I- I don't... I haven't done anything! Please... please, Pyramid, I haven't talked to her or anything! What have I done?”

In that moment, Bill's brain felt like it opened up to what he was actually looking at. Will was crying and upset and... he was deeply afraid of Bill, right there, in that moment, and... Bill wanted to stab himself in the gut when he realized these feelings were not hate at all.

“I... no. No, you- you haven't done anything!” Bill tightened his grip on the bag. “Let's go to that stupid tree, I need to talk to you!”

Crying, Will got up, walking with Bill toward his tree, ignoring his scraped elbows and the pain in his hip from landing so badly. When they got there, Will sunk down against the tree, wiping his eye. “... If I haven't done anything, why are we here?” Will asked, his voice shaking, studying the dirt in front of him. “... Are you going to punish me now for something else? I really haven't done anything, Pyramid... I made sure to abide all your laws and I wouldn't even text her back... I-”

Bill crouched down, gripping his hair. “Just- just shut up, alright? I need a minute!”

“ _You_ need a minute?” Will snapped back, angry. “You do? Don't you think I've needed a whole life? A whole life away from you, away from what you've done? I don't even know why we're here!”

Bill looked up at him, fury in his eye, but after a moment, it faded. He sighed, ducking his head. “... You, you- ugh! Alright. You did- you did deserve a life away from... from me and what I've done... I-”

Will's eye widened and he looked alarmed by Bill's words. “I- what?”

“I said you did deserve a life away from me, I've done things that are super bad to you, I get it!” Bill yanked on his own hair, trying to steel his focus. “I... ugh! Alright, look, I was talking to... I hate this conversation! I hate it!”

“... then why are we having it?” Will crossed his arms over his body. “What is happening? Who are you?”

“You know who I am!” Bill yelled, looking up at him. “Ugh! Alright, I was talking to that girl's brother, and he sort of said something **incredibly** stupid. He said that my punishments are weirdly intimate, and my rules are sort of weird like, don't let him date or touch or kiss people... and he accused me of maybe actually really liking you, that it's not hate, it's... the opposite, basically, and... I was furious. What a serious lie, there's no way... and... and I couldn't get it out of my head and the more I had that poisonous idea in here, the more... the more it seems to make some kind of sense and I **hate** it. You don't believe that garbage, do you? He's corrupted my thoughts, Will!”

“... I've always thought... I've always thought that your punishments were really weird, Pyramid...” Will's voice was so soft, that Bill could barely hear it. “I... they were always intimate or sexual, and your rules were basically don't date or kiss or love anyone else... they seemed so... unusually focused on keeping me away from everyone, I did think they were weird. … But you know, if this is what they said... I... I don't think I can bear to... I think I'd rather die than date you, Pyramid...” Will looked up at him, meeting his eye dead on. “We have had this for years, this thing, between us... This violent and brutal, sexual thing where anything sexual or intimate with you came with these terrible feelings and memories. Any imagining of something intimate with you where I have to be willing... it seems like I'd rather die.”

Bill stood, stalking toward Will, sinking down to his knees around Will, trapping him against the tree. “Would you? You'd rather die than let me give you pure pleasure?”

“I don't think you've ever given anything that isn't yourself pure pleasure,” Will answered, looking away.

Bill put his hand on Will's jaw, forcing Will into another kiss, this one not brutal or violent, but slow and gentle, a hungry, heat seeking kiss that made both of their guts roll, even Will's. Against his own judgment.

“Damn you, Pyramid...” Will answered, huffing against Bill's mouth. “You've taken so much from me... why are you going to do it again... If I actually fell for you, do you know how sick that would make me? It'd be Stockholm's but in the worst way possible...”

“But that Stockholm's would lead to the brilliant side effect of I'd never hurt you again,” Bill answered, brightly.

Will pushed him back and Bill fell, surprised, looking up at Will, who was now towering over him. “It isn't that easy, Pyramid! Years and years and years of this can't be resolved with a kiss and your attempt to tell me you love me. I've wanted to die more times than I can count. You can't fix this like that. I've let you have everything you wanted, and gave up everything... but I can't give you my heart when I've given up everything else. You can't have all of me. Even if I die from this, I would rather die. I mean it! I would rather die than give up the **last thing** I have left! Last night I held a kitchen knife to my wrist and spent over an hour debating if it would have been worth it... This is over! Kill me if you won't stop, I would rather you do that!” He stormed off, getting as far away from Bill as his legs would let him.

 


	2. Date? I Never Wanted This!

Bill returned to the cafeteria, a baffled, upset mess, sinking down next to Dipper.

“Hello, Bill,” Dipper waved. “You look... well, you look really awful, are you okay?”

Bill scowled, looking over at Dipper. “This is all entirely your fault for what you said to me! Entirely!”

“I'm so sorry,” Dipper winced.

“I... I kept thinking about it and thinking about it and when I saw him, I... Ugh! I... knew, I knew instantly that what I felt wasn't hate. I didn't hate him, for the first time, I looked at him, and I felt not hate. And it made me so mad I wanted to rip his arms off and feed them to him!” Bill gripped his sleeves, angrily. “I stormed up to him and I shoved him to the ground and I told him I needed to talk to him... we went off to his hidey-hole, and I told him the whole stupid story, and... he got mad at me! For the first time in his life, he went from fear and sadness to rage, and he was so angry at me, he told me he would rather die, and I kissed him, not as a punishment, but... because it's not hate that's in me... and he got so mad. He shoved me to the ground and told me he'd rather die and how he spent over an hour last night holding a knife to his own wrist debating if it was worth it. This is all your fault, he won't... This is your fault! If I still thought I hated him, it would be alright! Pine Tree, you have to fix this!”

“Um, Bill, it's not my fault,” Dipper winced. “I didn't do this, I just told you the truth... A lifetime of things you did to him, that's what caused this. I can't fix what you broke. I mean, if you really want to... you could always, just... be really over the top nice to him? And maybe, maybe you can fix what you broke. But it will take time to undo what has happened... but, I mean, years of that stuff... maybe- maybe you can't-”

“I can and I will!” Bill growled. “... ugh, I don't know what's even nice or romantic to normal people. To me, the most romantic thing is like, a dead animal on the doorstep with a note on it... Not killed, just like, found dead,” Bill gripped his hair. “I guess I'll look it up on the net or get a book or something. I know now that I was wrong, and I want to fix it. I want him underneath me, panting and elevated to more pleasure than any other man or woman has given him. And it makes me so angry that I don't hate him! But... I want to give him...” He leaned on the table. “I regret everything and I want to make up for it.”

“Good luck, Bill. I don't know romance. My sister does, though, want to try to talk to her about it?” Dipper pointed out Mabel who was studying from a textbook on the other side of the room.

“... does she have a book?”

“I don't know, let's go ask,” Dipper slid to his feet, leading Bill over to where Mabel was reading. “Hi, Mabel.”

“Dipper! And Crazy! What's up guys?” Mabel beamed.

“We need to know if you have a book on like, romantic things to do for people,” Dipper took a seat across from her.

“Romantic... hmm,” Mabel thought a moment. “I have a book like that, but, I mean, girls wouldn't need it and a guy wouldn't read it, but... I do think it could help. Do you want to look? I have one with me. I just bought it.”

“Sure, pass it my way,” Dipper nodded.

“Why, did you find a girl who is your thing?” Mabel giggled. She pulled the book out, sliding it toward them.

“Nope, I'm going to prove to that – ugh... to... to Blue, that I love him. He won't believe me, but I need help to prove it,” Bill started flipping through the book.

“... uh?” Mabel frowned, suddenly serious. “You... by Blue, do you mean Will? You hated him, like, yesterday!”

“It's really complicated, do you want to hear it?” Dipper chuckled, crossing his arms.

“Absolutely! If this works out, this is the most romantic love story ever!” Mabel leaned toward them. “Or it could be, I suppose.”

“Well, Bill was talking to me about Will, and I told him that his punishments and stuff was really weird... oddly, intimate. That it seemed to me that Bill might like him. And then Bill denied it, and then he went to talk to Will. He told him what we'd talked about, and Will got really upset. He got mad at Bill, said he'd rather die than date him. He stormed off and Bill is trying to figure out how to get Will not to hate him now.”

Mabel squealed, kicking her feet. “Oh, I hope that you two work it out! I mean, Will seems like he deserves to be happy, he's so good...”

“... I can't even begin to say the maelstrom of feelings that emerge from hearing you say that...” Bill muttered. “I hope we work it out too, and Will... Will does... does deserve it, but the years of suppressed rage. I... it's like I'm choking on all these feelings in my throat. He is good, but I feel like I am being choked to say it...”

“Good luck, Bill! Good luck! I'll try to talk to him about it, if he'll talk to me!” Mabel giggled. “Keep the book, I have like, a hundred of them! I'm gonna call him and hope he'll answer.”

“... Good luck,” Bill sighed. He and Dipper went off, back to their seats. Dipper went to get his food, returning a few minutes later, sitting down. “She's talking to someone,” Bill said, his voice shaky. “... I- I guess it's him. Pine Tree, I have never felt like this before. I feel sick.”

“Well, I hope it works out for you. Have you found anything good in the book?” Dipper gestured at it.

“... I did find something, but... I don't think I could get to this point with him...” Bill frowned. “Well, I could force it into happening. That... that would work. I'm going to do it.”

“Well, hold on, okay, first, maybe you should stop forcing him and being aggressive with him. Secondly, let me see what you're wanting to do,” Dipper leaned toward him. “... I'm sorry, I don't see what you're seeing.”

“It's this one?” Bill tapped on it. “I don't know why you don't see it.”

“Wait, you want to go out to dinner with him, and he says now he'd rather die than date you, how do you think you're going to get him out at this,” Dipper frowned, looking up at him. “This is a tip for a boyfriend or girlfriend, not a mortal enemy that you love...”

“Yes. Well, I'll just tell him that he has to go out to dinner with me, and there's no choice in it... and he'll go,” Bill crossed his arms, nodding. “I'll obviously pay for the meal and the dessert and everything. And... flowers. People like flowers, right? Dates do?”

“Well, I think so, yeah, give it a shot. Roses are good,” Dipper nodded.

“Alright, I'll make him go with me, and maybe he'll calm down if he sees that I'm really trying my best,” Bill frowned. “She hung up, I'm going to call him.”

Bill dialed Will's number on his phone, waiting for Will to answer it. After a lot of rings, Will answered it, awkwardly. “... Pyramid, what do you want?”

“Meet me, now. Cafeteria,” Bill frowned.

“I don't want to!” Will answered, agitated.

“Do you want to know what I might do to that girl you like talking to?” Bill answered, his tone irritated.

“... I'll- I'll be there. Don't hurt her. I... last time, I was in the hospital for two months,” Will said, hanging up.

After about five minutes, Will came in, clutching his strap on his bag, looking around worriedly. Bill strolled across the room to him, gripping his strap. “You and I are going to dinner tonight, and if your answer is no, you don't have a choice.”

“D-dinner? Why? I can't, I don't have any money-” Will spouted, looking around nervously.

“I'm buying it for us, you're going and you're going to like it,” Bill frowned. “Be ready, I'm getting you at 6, and we're going out.”

“I don't want to! Pyramid, you understand I hate you, don't you? You used to bully me mercilessly, and then you... you would... I mean, you forced me to do literally all of my firsts with you, you broke me down, Pyramid. How can I-”

“... I'm- look, I... I didn't understand how I felt and it manifested like that. I'm never going to do that stuff again, so go out to dinner with me, and this won't affect you, it'll affect the other people you know and like,” Bill frowned. “Got it? Go out with me.”

“... ugh, I'll go tonight but you know, if things get too wrong... if you go too far into where I say no... I mean, if you push me into those things again, I might not be alive tomorrow. Understand?” Will demanded, tugging at his bangs, to cover his missing eye.

“I understand. I'm going to tell you now, I won't force you to do those kinds of things anymore,” Bill sighed, arm crossed over his body, strap still in his other hand. “Next time you do any of it with me, I want it to be willing, and I want you to be the one to initiate.”

“Oh, good, so never is an option,” Will answered, dryly.

“I suppose it is, but I hope that you'll do it, someday,” Bill chuckled.

“Alright, are we done here? I'm going to go back to searching the grounds again,” Will looked over his shoulder. “I should've done it when I found out that you knew my spot... but I didn't. That's my mistake, I'll learn for next time.”

“Alright, sure, sure. I'll see you at home tonight at 6,” Bill grinned from ear to ear. “Bye Blue,”

Will whirled on his heel, going out of the building. Bill strode back to Dipper, taking a triumphant seat next to him.

“How'd it go?” Dipper questioned, already knowing the answer by Bill's grin.

“I will get him at 6pm and we will be off,” Bill said, picking a chip off of Dipper's plate.

“Well, good, but how'd you get him to agree to it?” Dipper asked, continuing to eat.

“Well, I threatened Shooting Star,” Bill smirked. “I mean, he thinks I did. I wouldn't hurt her at this point, she has nothing that harms me.”

“Well... that's good, but I think threatening another girl to get him to date you is kind of... It doesn't seem very romantic.” Dipper winced.

“Yeah, but, I think the place I'm getting reservations to, and the flowers, and treating him to all of it will be,” Bill grinned. “I'll make sure to tell you all about it on Monday.”

“Good luck,” Dipper glanced around the cafeteria. “And maybe quit threatening Mabel, it doesn't seem like that'll help him love you.”

“Once he willingly goes on dates with me, then I'll quit. I just need a little extra hand until he agrees,” Bill winked, going for another chip.

“Hey, quit stealing my food, it's only like $7 for one of these for yourself,” Dipper gestured at it.

“Well, I need to be hungry for dinner, you know,” Bill pulled out his phone. “Alright, I'm looking up the number... got it. Give me a second.” He dialed it, making his reservations, eagerly. When he hung up, he grinned at Dipper again. “Tonight is going to be premium.”

“I hope it is!” Dipper nodded. “I'm gonna go tell Mabel, she'll want to be updated about this.”

“Sure, later,” Bill waved.

 

Bill leaned against the door-frame, knocking on the door with the back of his hand, waiting for Will to answer it. After a moment, Will did, looking nervously up at Bill. “Alright, let's get this over with- are those flowers?” Will said, startled.

“Of course. For you,” Bill presented them with a flourish, getting a startled blush from Will.

“I- Pyramid, this is our house! Don't you think this isn't the place for this?” Will snatched them from him, disappearing into his room. He returned a moment later, rubbing his still blushing cheeks. “This is not the place for that. Alright? I have enough bad memories here, I don't want you to make it worse,”

“Did you like them?” Bill was grinning from ear to ear. “I was going to get roses but then I thought, roses smell so bad, he definitely wouldn't like them, so I got the blue ones because I know you love blue.”

“Yeah, they're alright, let's just go,” Will yanked him along, heading for the front door.

“Shame, I thought you'd really like them!” Bill chuckled, getting the door for Will, who seemed skeptical of Bill's efforts, going hesitantly through the door. He walked fearfully in front of Bill, heading toward Bill's car. There, too, Bill got the door open for him, holding it.

“... You've got to stop doing this, alright? Look, I still remember the time you slammed me in the kitchen door, and it makes this really freak me out,” Will took the door from Bill, getting in, shutting it himself.

Bill circled the car, getting into it, buckling his seat belt. “Yes, that was an error on my part. They were all errors I committed with you... and now I want to get your forgiveness. I want you to be my partner, for now, and for life... So I've got much to do to make up for those days.”

“It'll take a lot more than just occasional dinners and scary door-holding to fix it,”

“I know. I'm not going to rush or force any of it, aside from your cooperation in my attempts to make it up to you,” Bill winked, starting the car. “I'm not going to force you to do anything, last time was the last time.”

“You're forcing me to go out here tonight,”

“I'm forcing you to tolerate me long enough to show you how much I want to make it up to you. But physically, you won't ever be forced again to tolerate another thing I'll do to you,” Bill started the car, beginning to drive toward the restaurant.

“Whatever, just one, right? That's all I've got to do?”

“Oh, well, if you don't start to believe me, Blue, then we'll have to have more... just tolerate it until I'm satisfied,” Bill smirked. “Until then, just go out to dinner with me and maybe if you want to see a movie or something, we can do that, my treat.”

“Uh, yeah. Great. Let's go see Teeth,”

“I understand what you're saying but that movie is a little too, uh, well, you know. We have those, why would we wanna see them getting bit off?”

“Yeah, fine, forget Teeth, just the dinner and then we'll go home,”

Bill chuckled, nodding his head. “Alright, if you do want to do something else, just say the word.”

 

When they pulled up to the restaurant, Will was surveying it with a skeptical eye. “Pyramid, this place is kind of... isn't this a good place?”

“Yup, took a little bit of money for me to get our reservation tonight, but I think you'll really have a ball! Come on,” Bill got out of the car, escorting Will to the door. They immediately got shown to their table, taking their seats.

“I really don't know what you're doing or why you're doing it,” Will said, looking around the restaurant. “Pyramid, there are chandeliers, there are... there's a fountain! These are like, wine glasses. We can't even have wine yet.”

“They have sparkling juice as a choice for the wine, even though I don't get why, we're not going to get blitzed on wine at dinner, underage,” Bill shrugged. “And you know why I'm doing this, Blue. I'm over the moon for you. I spent all those years thinking I hated you, but it was always the opposite.”

“... I can't believe it, Pyramid,” Will crossed his arms. “Some of those punishments were over the top cruel. Like, do you know how many times I've already tried to kill myself because of you? I don't know, myself, and I'm the one who has tried over and over. It's like I'm immortal or something, I can't even die no matter how much I've wanted to. You brought me to this ultra fancy restaurant, and-”

“Your sparkling juice, and menus,” the server poured the juice into their wine glasses, setting the menus down in front of them. “I'll return shortly to see if you know what you'd like to eat,” he walked away, leaving them to stare at each other agitated.

“Look!” Will tapped irritated on the menu. “Look, you can't even afford this place! Did you even consider that when you made this menu?”

“Did I ever say I couldn't afford it?” Bill smirked. “I can afford it, Blue. What've you seen me buy?”

Will huffed. “As little as possible! I usually try to stay as far away from you as I can!”

“Well, both of those sentences are true, and not even entirely what you mean,” Bill grinned from ear to ear. “I don't spend money. As little as possible, and I make quite a lot through... things. So order anything you want, this is a treat for you.”

“... You are kidding!” Will threw his hands up. “I don't even know if I want to order! This is... you are insane! You tortured me in like a hundred different ways, and then you bring me flowers and make me go to the nicest restaurant that I've ever seen... I don't even think I want to order.”

“Oh, come on, there's some really nice dishes on here,” Bill chuckled. “There's a nice crab truffle macaroni dish here... isn't that your thing?”

Will hesitated, glancing down at the menu. “Why- why would you say that?” He studied the menu item, thinking to himself.

“Well, I remember you always chose the seafood item when we went out to dinner with our parents,” Bill shrugged.

Will huffed. “... I guess... I'll just look at the menu anyway, but I probably won't get any of it...”

Bill looked over the menu, thinking to himself. “This is all a little more expensive than I'd pay for myself... but that steak thing, it seems alright, pretty reasonable.”

“Fine, I think I will get that crab macaroni,” Will huffed, tossing his head. “Might as well spend your money since you made me come here.”

“No problem, I hope you like it,” Bill grinned.

“... How long do you think our parents will be... over there?” Will muttered, looking down at the table.

“Eh, I think they told me last time that they're moving into a house that they bought, so I don't think they're going to come back,” Bill shrugged.

“Oh... right.”

“Sure, and we'll get a nice dessert to finish our meal,” Bill winked. “Oh, but wow, this dish looks good, too,” he tapped on the menu. “... But it's like, twice the price of that surf and turf. I'm just going to get the steak thing. You can still get anything you want, though, you don't have a price limit.”

“... This whole thing is really frustrating,” Will took a drink of his sparkling juice. “Did you know that?”

Bill reached across the table, resting his hand on top of Will's. “I know. The most frustrating thing for me is that you don't feel this way for me too...”

Will fell silent, looking at Bill's hand on top of his. “... If this is some new attempt of yours to destroy me... to torment me, to make me hurt... if you're trying to get my guard down and sexually assault me when I don't expect it and I actually feel something for you... If that is what you're planning, I will dive off the top of the tallest building in this town. There's no way I can survive from that.”

“I promise, I don't plan on doing anything like that ever again,” Bill chuckled. “You're very safe from that.”

“If you swear, on your life, that this isn't a trap... That... that you aren't tricking me and you **swear on your life,** then... then I'll relax and try to calm down,”

“...I swear on my life,” Bill said, seriously, crossing his arms, leaning on the table, taking a drink of his sparkling juice. “... You know, I used to always get so blisteringly angry at the sight of your face, but... It wasn't just the sight of you, really, I think it's the fact that you really are really attractive. Jealousy, I suppose.”

Will went crimson, embarrassed and angry both.  “Look, we're both, we're both weird with the one eye thing, but... just because I have a smooth spot there... I'm not attractive just for that reason. You're grasping.”

“Am I?” Bill smirked. “You're just really nice to look at.”

“Just stop,”

“Hello,” the server bowed a little. “Have you two decided what you'd like to eat?”

“Yes, we have,” Bill grinned from ear to ear. “This surf and turf meal, and he'd like this crab macaroni dish.”

“Understood,” he wrote it down on his notepad. “Anything else I can get you?”

“No, that's good, for now,”

“I shall return with your food when it's finished,” the server nodded his head, heading off.

The two of them fell into an awkward silence after that, leaving Will to fidget with the stuff on his side of the table. “You're so cute, what are you focusing on?” Bill smirked.

“Um, stop that, but also, I was wondering how many forks would fill up this whole room,” Will looked around. “Judging by the weight... it's about, I don't know, twenty grams... It's a thin fork though, I bet two hundred would be required to get it from the floor to the ceiling... no, three hundred. Then, maybe, thirty forks across... and about a hundred wide... so, like, what, 900,000 forks?”

Bill laughed, surprised. “Are you serious? You are such a weird guy! I bet a million forks would probably fill it... if you melted them, though, I bet you could get two million.”

“Oh... yeah, because of all the space between the forks,” Will nodded. “... I bet a million and a half though, I think two million is too excessive. The space between the forks isn't a full fork each... Oh, but if all the forks were melted, maybe two million...” Will froze, suddenly turning away from him. “... I, uh, yeah...”

“What's wrong?”

“... I just... uh... I'm... I'm sure that... I, uh, I have to go to the bathroom,” Will gripped his chest, sliding out of his chair. He bolted for the bathroom, leaving Bill to look after him, puzzled.

Their food had arrived, sitting on the table for about three minutes when Will took a shaky seat back in the chair. “Oh, good, food's here.”

“You were gone a while, you alright?”

“I'm fine...” Will started to eat, still looking kind of pale. “I, just, I can't believe I just talked to you like you were anyone. … I was so sure you would have torn me apart.”

“Nope, I won't do that anymore. I swear. How's your food?”

“Um...” Will looked down at his food. “I, I don't know. Let me take another bite.”

Will carefully took another bite, focusing on the taste. “Really really unbelievable!” Will beamed. “It's got so much flavor, it's fresh crab, and this cheese, it's got such a nice rich, sort of bitter flavor, like... like I don't know. It's awesome. And there's... I think it's onion, and some garlic... but it's also got... some herb that I'm not sure... I just, it's really good! And the truffle, it's so earthy and... I can taste it in my nose... ”

“Glad to hear it,” Bill chuckled, taking another bite of his steak. “Mine is great as well. I can't tell you what's in it, I don't eat that much, but it is great.”

Bill and Will continued to eat, before Bill ordered dessert, and they finished their food while they were waiting. The server came back by to set their dessert down, taking the plates away. “Here is your dessert, enjoy your food!” He left, leaving them to look at the plate.

“Oh, this looks good,” Bill grinned, picking up his fork. “Let's dig in!”

“Um, Pyramid, you- you only ordered one... Are we sharing?”

“Sure are,” Bill winked. “Come on, eat up! Isn't this your favorite?”

“... I admit, molten chocolate lava cakes are my favorite, but some of the extra things on here, I just don't know what they'll taste like with it,” Will picked up his spoon, getting a spoonful. “... Geez, I'm so- wait, how do you know that? How do you know all these things about me?”

“I've been living with you for a long time, it's pretty simple,” Bill chuckled. He took a bite off his fork, humming in appreciation. “That fruit really brings a real surprise to it... it's like a... like a cool, crisp, freshness.”

Will took his bite as well, eyes lighting up. “I've never tasted anything like this before! It's unbelievable!”

“It's... well, it's a chocolate cake, but there's a lot more to it, I just don't know what,”

“It's got a touch of cinnamon, and some cloves, and the chocolate flavor is so strong, it's got to have espresso in it, and... and this chocolate isn't any chocolate I've ever had before! Unbelievable. And... and this ice cream, it's over the top, I'm sure handmade, and it's just... it's all so rich...”

“Oh... is that what that, sort of... bitter-y, musk-y flavor is? Cinnamon and cloves?”

“Uh, I guess... sorry, I just really like, uh... I really like eating.”

“It's alright, it's cute,"

They continued eating, finally finishing their food. Bill paid and they walked out. Bill helped Will into the car, getting into the driver's side. He drove Will home, noticing Will was completely silent the whole way. At a stoplight, Bill reached over and stroked Will's arm, getting a startled noise out of him.

“What? What?” Will demanded, curling his arms around his body.

“You haven't said much of a word since we discussed the ingredients in the dessert. What's up?”

“Oh... nothing...” Will muttered, looking back out the window. “Just thinking... uh, I know you don't plan on doing anything to me. But... but in a moving car, with you, I keep thinking a-about... about, how- how you could... and I'd live though it but... I'd suffer through it and through the whole healing...” his breath got shaky as he trailed off.

“Hey, it's not going to happen, you can relax!”

“Right...” Will gasped, trying to catch his breath. “I just need- need my pills. I can't... I can't breathe-”

“Sure, we're almost home. Just try taking a deep breath.”

“N- not... not that... easy,”

“Just try it,”

Will struggled to take a deep breath, shivering when he finally managed to get a breath in. He breathed out, shakily, trying to calm down. When they got home, Will staggered into the house, managing to calm down after another minute on the couch. “... I made it, alright, I got through that one...” He got to his feet, heading down the hall to his room.

Bill caught him at his door, pinning him against it. “Did you have fun?”

Will looked up at him, fear mixing in his eyes with something else, and he looked away, shakily. “I... I don't know.”

“You don't know?” Bill stroked Will's jaw, softly. “Did you enjoy it?”

“I, uh... yes, I guess, even though- even though it was with you, and even though I'm afraid of you... yes.” Will's voice was so soft, it broke off at the end.

“I'm glad you enjoyed it. Have a good night, Blue.”

Will flushed, but leaned forward, flushing. He owed him something for... dinner, didn't he? Not money, Will didn't have that much... but something! His scrambled mind produced one solution that his panic attack didn't let him think through. He nervously pressed his lips to Bill's before fleeing behind himself, disappearing into his room. “Y-yeah, you too,” he slammed the door behind him, locking it.

Bill was reeling but after a few seconds, he snapped to, pounding on the door. “Blue! Open this door!”

“N-no!” Will cried back out, from just on the other side of it. “Alright? I can't believe I did that! I can't!”

“Well, you did it and obviously you had to have done it for a reason,” Bill growled through the door. “I want to kiss you in return, not just be kissed. So open up...”

“... n-nothing more than- more than that, right?”

“Nothing more than that.”

Will was silent, slowly going to unlock the door. When he opened it, he was a trembling mess, standing in front of Bill. Bill strolled inside, pulling Will close to him, kissing him with a passionate hunger. Will threaded his arms around Bill's neck, finding himself very close to Bill.

Bill carried him over to bed, getting on top of him, continuing the make out session with passion. After a few moments, Will suddenly stiffened with a violent shudder, shoving Bill away. “N-no, stop!”

“Stop, what? But-”

Will shoved him with all the strength in his body, sending Bill tumbling back, hitting the wall. Will was panicking, hyperventilating as he trembled on the bed, before fleeing for the bathroom, slamming the door shut, locking it behind him. Bill walked over to the door, hearing the bathroom being torn apart as Will looked for his pills.

“I can't even breathe,”

“What happened?” Bill growled, listening to Will, as there was a thump against the door, Will's spastic breathing continuing.

“I... It was... it was fine, I'd for-forgotten...” Will shuddered. “And then you- when you kiss me, you, you do this thing, sometimes your teeth brush my- brush my gums and... no one else has... when you- you did that- I... I remembered with every cell in my body that it was you, and... I panicked, I completely... I won't come out of this room until you're gone, Pyramid, so... please, please leave...”

“Heh... fine. I'll lock the door when I go out, so you'll feel safe in here,” Bill ran his hands down the door, before going to the door, glancing over his shoulder. Shame. He locked the door, going out, shutting it behind him.

The rest of the weekend, Bill didn't see a glimmer of Will at all, and he wondered if Will had food. There'd been no sight of him- a listing on eBay got a laugh out of him, and he imagined giving it to Will as a present. He immediately bought it, looking forward to giving it to Will. He would dislike it, but it was very much a sign of his feelings for Will...

 


	3. Dipper, the Human Rug

Come Monday, there was still no sign of Will. No trace even of a light in his room. Bill frowned, adjusting himself in his seat. Why had Will locked himself away so thoroughly all weekend?

“Hi, Bill!” Dipper took a seat next to him, glancing forward to see the teacher hadn't come back. “How'd, uh, your dinner go?... you didn't like, you didn't do anything to him, did you?”

“Of course not...” Bill murmured. “No, it... Hmm. So... Friday dinner, the time approached 6 so I went to his room to get him. He opened it and was really startled that I'd brought flowers for him... he took them and hid them somewhere in his room, telling me not to do that. Quite angry. I don't know why he needed to hide them, we live alone, and he almost never leaves his room... but then we went out to eat and I took him in and he was super impressed but it was mixed with his anger, so we ordered, the food was pretty nice... I think I must not have tasted quite as much as Blue did, though, because he was so enthusiastic, talking about what ingredients he could taste and how good it was... it was fun to see.” Bill chuckled.

“Oh, I'm glad to hear it went well,” Dipper nodded.

“It did, I told him I wouldn't force him to do another intimate or physical thing with me. He was skeptical. We ate, got dessert, loved it, went home... I walked him to his room, told him good night. He rapid-fire gave me this little girly kiss, just lips to lips and fled into his room, locking the door behind him. I told him to unlock it, give me a chance to kiss him back, and he finally did... we got to kissing, like, more like making out... and he flipped out all of a sudden. Shoved me off his bed into a wall,” Bill grumbled. “And he was having this weird breathing thing and he fled for the bathroom, locking the door behind him. He got his pills and took 'em, then told me that he wouldn't come out as long as I was there, and I needed to leave. So I left, figuring I'd see him over the weekend? Nothing. I didn't even see a light in his room. I hope he isn't dead, but he told me he's tried to off himself many, many times and never could... so I'm sure he's alive...”

“I can't believe you're here, what if he needs care?” Dipper asked, startled. “Let me ask Mabel if she's heard from him.” He texted Mabel, looking over at Bill. “If no one's heard from him, you might make sure he's okay.”

“Eh... yeah...” Bill shrugged.

Dipper glanced at his phone. “Okay, let's see... She says yeah, she heard from him over the weekend, really unusual texts, and she's talking to him right now.”

“Told you, he's fine. I didn't really need to worry. I just don't know why he hid all weekend,” Bill shook his head. “... His door has a really super lock on it though, I couldn't pick it if I tried. He got the new lock after that time I broke in and, uh, punished him.”

“Well, I would also do the same,” Dipper nodded. “So I understand it.”

“I'm going to text him, ask him why...” Bill pulled out his phone, shooting a text.

“Bill, those weren't even words! He's not going to understand that!” Dipper laughed, shaking his head.

“Eh, he's gotten all my other ones,” Bill shrugged. “He'll get this one too.”

“I mean, where did you learn to text like that?” Dipper grinned. “Gibberish.”

“Eh...” Bill paused a moment, thinking. “I didn't. I just text that way. I always have... He's coming in.” He pointed at the door.

The instructor looked over the class, before beginning class immediately, calling them name by name to come collect their papers. He immediately set into the lesson, getting them into work. Once class was over, Bill was getting to his feet when he checked his phone. “I got an answer from him,” he followed Dipper out. “See, he understood me,” Bill showed Dipper.

“I guess, what did he say?”

“I said, 'why were you in your room all weekend, did you die', and he answered me back, 'Eloquent as always.'”

Dipper chuckled. “That's pretty fun.”

“Yeah...” Bill texted Will back, pocketing his phone. “Who knows? Next time I catch him, we'll have another date.”

“You said he had pills, what for?” Dipper questioned, adjusting his bag.

“Ughhh... It's for...” Bill muttered, scratching his arm. “Sometimes, he has this thing where he can't breathe... he gets this weird jittery breath and he heaves to get the air in, and he can't talk properly. I guess his mom took him to the doctor to get help for it and they gave him the pills.”

“Sounds like a panic attack,” Dipper nodded. “I've never met someone who had them, but those sound really rough.”

“Uh... yeah. He didn't have them until after our parents married, and then he got them. I guess that makes them my fault,” Bill shrugged.

“I hope he gets better,” Dipper winced.

“Yeah...” Bill checked his phone. “... He wasn't even in his room! He said he slipped out Saturday morning, and he hasn't been back home since! Ugh!” Bill scowled.

“Oh, where has he been, then?” Dipper frowned.

“I don't know!... I- I don't blame him... I'm not mad, I just wish I'd known he wasn't even there,” Bill sighed. “I … ugh, I know. I... walk with me to the cafeteria.” He yanked Dipper along behind him.

“Oh, sure,” Dipper said, surprised, following him.

“I know I've caused a lot of the problems he's got,” Bill frowned. “I just wish... ugh, you know, he kissed me? He kissed **me**. I... I flipped out. I wanted him so bad, after he did that. … He had a problem though and we had to stop... if he hadn't had that problem, we wouldn't have stopped. He was so good... ugh, I guess my kissing was what tipped him off... I have a thing I do with my teeth, they caused that panic attack...” Bill trailed off. “So I've got to do some research and see how not to do that, maybe try to relax him away from that problem.”

“Well, good luck, it all seems really foreign to me...” Dipper made a face.

“Yeah...” Bill frowned. “I'm gonna text him and tell him we're going out again tonight.”

“Woah, woah, woah, you need to relax,” Dipper winced. “You need to wait until Friday again, maybe just this every Friday for about a month... and then after that, you can start varying it up. I mean, he was very responsive last time, but it gave him a panic attack... so, wait until he has more trust in you... then you can go to your heart's content.”

“Hmm... yeah...” Bill huffed, looking at Dipper. “Clearly- **clearly!** You don't get me at all. I don't really do waiting, or patience, or... anything like that. But... for him, I'll hold back... You seem more like his type than I am. You'd probably know what he likes.”

“Well, I tried,” Dipper sighed. “I mean, I don't know him that well, but I know that most people would be afraid if you came at them, like that. And this guy has had it a little worst than most.”

“Hmm. Yeah. … Yeah,” Bill was silent a moment. “Fine...”

“Hold on a minute, I'm gonna buy breakfast,” Dipper went off to buy breakfast, returning a few minutes later. “Alright, back,” Dipper slid into his chair, beginning to eat.

“No sign of him in here,” Bill muttered, sulkily. “He's still avoiding me. I thought our date was so good, but I guess I didn't win him. I really wanted to kiss him until he breathlessly begged for more, for the finish... but... he got that panic attack or whatever,” Bill waved his hand. “... ugh. You know, it's been a while. Quite a while... I don't know how long it's been for him, but for me, much too long.”

Dipper chuckled, awkwardly. “Y-yeah? It's been a while for- for me too?...” He awkwardly ate his fries, looking away from Bill.

“... Text Shooting Star, see if she's heard from him now,” Bill frowned at him.

“Uh, sure, I'll do that for you,” Dipper wrinkled his nose. He texted Mabel, going back to eating. He was just finishing his fries before his phone buzzed. “Ah, Mabel texted back,”

Bill looked over at him, eagerly, leaning towards him to see.

“Mm...” Dipper checked his text. “... Yeah, she's talking to him now. I don't know where, she didn't say.”

“Texting or with her mouth?” Bill questioned, frowning. He reached over and took one of Dipper's fries.

“She didn't say texting but there's no way to know for sure which, she's not very clear in her texting,” Dipper shrugged. His phone buzzed again and he glanced down at it, texting her back. “She asked if you were asking.”

“D'you tell her no?” Bill watched him put away the phone, resting his elbows on the table.

“I told her yes,” Dipper chuckled. “I don't lie to my twin sister, it's like trying to lie to myself!”

“Hmm,” Bill fell silent. “You know, you seem more like him than I do, but Shooting Star, she's kind of like his female self.”

“Is she? So he sounds like he'd be a lot of fun!” Dipper beamed. “But... I bet he won't talk to me, I spend a lot of time with you.”

“Hmm...” Bill muttered. “Probably not. He's cautious... Ugh, I feel extremely up right now. I mean, extremely... I want to... ugh. It would be so hard to keep myself off of him.”

Dipper flushed. “Well... Sorry. At least you've made the decision not to do that anymore, right? So... I'm sure once he believes that, that he'll be really happy.”

“... shame you aren't gay,” Bill chuckled. “I'd show you a good time.”

“Uh... yeah, it's been like four months, but I'm not sure I need it enough to give it a shot... not that it's weird! It's just not something I've considered,” Dipper winced. “I mean, I don't know... if I really liked someone, I think I'd probably be okay with it, I've never found someone I liked enough to consider it.”

“It's not a good idea anyway to do someone while I'm trying to win Blue,” Bill chuckled. “I want him to utter those words to me... if he ever said them, I'd probably not be able to completely hold back.”

“The words... the words I love you?” Dipper questioned, thinking.

“Yes,” Bill grinned. “Those words.”

Dipper checked his phone again. “She answered. She said that Will knew you were asking, not me... and then a follow up text. 'He's too anxious to see Bill right now. The dinner was weird for him.'”

“Weird,” Bill scoffed, crossing his arms. “Was it, now?”

“I'm gonna ask what she meant,” Dipper texted her again. “And yeah, compared to who you've been for years, I bet it was weird...”

Bill continued eating Dipper's fries, thinking. “You're right. I just... ugh. I want him to give in to me already and... I want all of it, Pine Tree.”

“I know you do,” Dipper chuckled. He checked his phone again.

 

_**Don't tell him, but Will said that it stirred up lots of feels... Perfect ship? I think so!** _

 

_**Oh, I see.** _

 

“What'd she say?” Bill frowned, looking over. Dipper locked his phone, flushing.

“She said... she said that I'm not supposed to tell you what she said,” Dipper looked away from him. “So... yeah.”

“Ugh, I hate secrets!” Bill complained.

“Sorry, Bill,” Dipper winced. “But I can't tell you. It's not my secret to share.”

“... I bet he loved it and now he feels like a mess out there, talking to Mabel...” Bill muttered, irritated. “He could tell me, I'd love to hear that...”

“I think you're getting really ahead of yourself,” Dipper winced.

“Ugh,” Bill muttered. “I want him... it's so stupid, I caused myself some trouble for a while on this one...”

“For a while?” Dipper repeated, surprised. “You're very confident, aren't you?”

Bill grinned at him. “You know it!”

“I'm gonna go off to my dorm, good luck, Bill,” Dipper nodded.

“I don't need it, we're going to be very happy,” Bill murmured, looking across the cafeteria.

Dipper chuckled, heading off to his dorm. He called Mabel when he was in his room, looking toward the ceiling. “Hey, Mabel, how's he doing?”

“He's stabilized, Dipper,” Mabel nodded. “He was an embarrassed mess when I found him this morning. He calmed down, that dinner really did a mess on him. … Sorry, Will, I know, it's completely not your fault.”

“Glad to hear he's doing okay. Bill really did his best to impress him... he's convinced that-”

“Bill isn't there with you, is he?” Mabel asked, cautiously.

“No, I'm in my dorm, he's gone,” Dipper reassured. “Anyway, Bill is convinced that if he just keeps trying to show Will how much he loves him... that Will will give in and then they'll be together... I mean, I've never heard him say he loves Will, but he's so over the top for that guy, it's pretty obvious.”

Mabel giggled. “Is he? You know, I haven't talked to him much... he and I aren't friends like you two are.”

“Hmm. Friends...” Dipper repeated, thinking. “... Are we? I just, I don't know. We could be, but I think... I don't know. I don't think he'd call me a friend.”

Dipper heard a soft, weak chuckle from nearby and heard Will's voice softly. “Yeah, he doesn't really talk about romantic or emotional things ever, just anger and hatred...”

“Oh? Will can hear me? Hi, Will,” Dipper nodded.

“Yes, I can hear you...” Will muttered. “I want to know what Pyramid is presenting to you that he's feeling.”

“... does he feel different than he shows?” Dipper asked, surprised. “He seems pretty consistent... he was furious with me when I mentioned that he seemed like he loved Will more than he hated him... he was about to cut me! Then after I told him, he went off to think about it and he came back and he said basically that I was right. He realized he didn't hate Will, he liked him very much... and then he went into how was he going to win him over. He said some really hilarious things that makes me think that he just never learned how to be respectful...”

“... He is quite a mess, isn't he?” Will asked, wistfully. “For him to go from trying to kill me into this... that dinner was... I debated trying to suicide there in the bathroom before I fled our home. I was very scared.”

“Scared of Bill?” Dipper questioned. “Hey, I wish we could meet up, want to meet up somewhere?”

“N-no!” Will's voice barked and there was a moment of silence.

“He is worried that Bill will see you and you'll lead Bill to him,” Mabel chuckled. “So, just go ahead and keep talking on the phone.”

“Got it,” Dipper nodded. “So, scared of Bill?”

“... always, but no,” Will sighed. “I... uh. Look, you can't tell him. If you tell him, I will personally kill you. I've seen how Pyramid operates, so I can also do that.”

“I- I won't! They're not my secrets to tell!” Dipper said, surprised.

“Okay. So... look. When he first came to get me to take me out on that... torture...” Will sighed, softly. “He had a bouquet in his hand, and he asked me if I was ready to go, and he presented them to me. I couldn't believe it, in our home! He presented me this blue bouquet in our home and I... I literally felt my gut lurch, and I was sure it was fear, that he was tricking me, once my guard is down, he will destroy me... But I put it up in my room, and we went out... and he was very charming and kind, and... entirely unlike himself... and we went out to eat. He told me I could have anything I wanted, no limit, and I ordered, one of the most expensive things on their menu, and it was delicious, then he ordered dessert and it was also delicious, and at two points, I literally forgot who was across from me.”

“What do you mean?” Dipper asked.

“... ugh, sometimes, I do some... really deep thinking,” Will sighed, rubbing his face. “I was sitting there, and we'd run out of words, and so I wondered to myself... this is so stupid. I wondered how many forks would fill up the whole room we were in, and I was calculating the weight of the fork and the distance and how many forks wide and tall, and long the room was... and Pyramid asked what I was thinking about. So I told him all of that, to the point that I thought 900,000 forks would fit if you arranged them properly, and he laughed a lot and told me that he thought two million would fit if you melted them... then later we were eating dessert, and I was really enjoying it. I listed all the ingredients I could taste and how well they were blended and how good it was... and I got way into it... and he laughed some more and admired my passion... he told me that he wouldn't touch me or force me ever again. He really thought I'd believe him. After... after he did everything rapists do except insert himself into me... he thought I'd really believe that was over at a word?”

“... I'm- I'm sorry. He really has changed when he talks to me, though, he hasn't said anything that isn't something along the lines of love for you ever since I told him that it was clearly love,” Dipper winced.

“He's a good liar,” Will muttered, pausing. “... but then, he took me home, and I was... I was surprised... I felt kind of comfortable, and I felt happy, and I... I was comfortable. We got back to my room and I... I don't know what happened. I lurched forward and gave him a little kiss, I guess... I guess it was a thank you for the effort he put in to make me happy at dinner? I panicked after that and fled into my room, locking the door behind me. I thought it was over, and he started pounding, demanding to be let in, that he wanted to kiss me back... I... I managed to let him in. It was... ugh. He kissed me, a lot, and when he kisses me, he... he kisses me like he's trying to literally eat me. Like, cannibalistic. I felt his teeth on my gums and my gut lurched violently as I realized Pyramid was kissing me, and I had asked for it, and I... I was scared that sexual assault would be the repercussion... and I had a huge panic attack. I fled for the bathroom, and I told him I wouldn't leave until he did. He left and I hung out in the bathroom for hours... and then when I got out, I left through the window.”

“So, you felt uncomfortable with how comfortable you were with him?” Dipper repeated, thinking.

“I... uh... I don't know. I... he's really done a lot to me,” Will said.

“It's okay, Will. No one will judge you for being upset at all the things he's done to you,” Mabel murmured, reassuringly.

“Thanks, Mabel. He's done so much to me, I was so scared that... uh... that, well, that I'd not want to... and he would, and he would,” Will sighed. “It'll take a long time for me to forget that fear, if I ever can. I know he wants me to love him, to just fall into it like Cinderella, but... Cinderella wasn't raped and abused by the prince.”

“I hope he can manage to make up for what he's done, Will,” Dipper said, softly.

“... I don't think he can, but... we'll see,” Will sighed.

“... You know, Bill was talking to me, and he said that I'm a lot like you,” Dipper chuckled. “But Mabel is exactly like you. He said she's like you, but as a woman.”

“Did he?” Will said. “Mabel, do you think so?”

“We are so much like each other!” Mabel agreed, smiling. “I do agree!”

“If Pyramid hadn't threatened her, I probably would date her,” Will chuckled, softly. “We are... we're very compatible. But... I am worried about her, so no dating for us.”

“I never would have ever thought of that if Bill hadn't been so aggressive about it...” Mabel said. “I thought Will was gay, not bi. He was extremely aggressive about us not dating, so I get why Dip thought he loved you.”

“He really did threaten you. He said I knew what would happen if I did it...” Will trailed off. “Look, Dipper, is it? Look, if you're smart, you're going to avoid him and stop trying to be friends with him. He's... he's evil, Dipper. He'll … he'll tear you apart and he won't even think anything about it. If you get in the slightest in his way, if you say something to him that makes him mad... if you do anything wrong, he'll effortlessly make you suffer. Or he'll make you suffer by targeting Mabel. He'll make her suffer, to make you suffer.”

“I'll keep it in mind, I'm hoping he's changed, but... I'm sure you've hoped that-”

“A million times?” Will whispered. “A million and one... this last time, if he waits until my guard is down and he turns on me like a wolf, I will find the most death efficient way of all and I will end it. I will take poison and stand on a roof and stab myself and those three things have to be enough, nothing else has worked!”

“... I, maybe you can take off?” Dipper winced. “Like, go cross-country where he can't find you?”

“... There's so little of me left,” Will said. “I couldn't make it... I'd probably panic attack my way into the path of a car two miles outside of town. But you... you can. You can get away from him. Do it... I promise, you won't regret it.”

“I'll keep that in mind,” Dipper winced. “Like, really in mind.”

“Okay. If you stay with him as even an acquaintance, you'll regret it,” Will fell silent.

“I'll think about everything you've said,” Dipper said, getting one of his sodas from the fridge.

There was a long silence, before Mabel spoke up. “Dip, he's done talking... so you've got me again. Hi, Dip.”

“Hi, Mabel,” Dipper sighed. “... This whole thing, huh?”

“I just hope Bill isn't trying to pull something,” Mabel said. “Bill had Will in the palm of his hand after that dinner, and you can't imagine how upset I'll be if Will suicides after Bill turns on him.”

Dipper flinched. “No, I get it... I totally get it. I hope Bill isn't planning some kind of trick, but I've never seen any kind of... He's effortless in his attempt to convince me he's not planning something. He really does seem like he loves him.”

“... We hope he isn't. If you get any kind of a sign that he is going to turn on Will, tell us. Then Will can try to get his guard back up before the house falls down,” Mabel said, seriously.

“I will, for sure,” Dipper nodded.

“Where are you, Dip?” Mabel questioned.

“Oh, I'm in my room. Roommate's in class. My second class doesn't start for another-” Dipper checked the time on his phone. “Another I need to get over there right now. Ten minutes.”

Mabel chuckled. “I only have one early class and the rest of them are from 1pm to 6pm, so... I've still got another while.”

“Well, enjoy your time with Will, I'd stick by him if I were you, Will will feel safer,” Dipper grabbed his textbook and shoved it in his bag, heading off to class.

“Oh, yeah, I'm gonna walk him to class, get lunch... enjoy the rest of my break, and then get back to classes,” Mabel beamed. “... Hey, Dip, we should maybe get an apartment next semester? I mean, the dorms here aren't bad, but... you know, privacy doesn't exist here.”

“Hmm. I'd need to get a job on top of classes but... I see what you're saying. My roommate's not bad, but it seems like the next one could be really awful. Friday night, he had a team of guys over and they all were watching porn and drinking and it was weird,” Dipper agreed. “I went out so I didn't have to see what could develop from that... I got back and one of the guys propositioned me. Said I was super cute and he bet I had a good 'hole' which... kind of turned my stomach? That's not my roommate, so it's silly that I'm bothered by it. But, like, what if the next one is super sexual, or does drugs or something? I just had to politely explain that I'm straight... I decided to omit the bit about I could probably date a guy, but I hadn't met one I wanted to date yet... because, you know how guys are, right? I'd get the whole, 'You haven't met me. I bet I could get you into it real fast,' kind of conversation and I didn't want it.”

“Ugh, I know, right? You'd have got a comment like that... If you were me, you'd have had to worry about that your whole life... Lucky for you, you don't need to be afraid of that,” Mabel sighed.

“Yeah, guys are creeps! I just don't get it... I mean, I'm a straight guy... I don't treat other people like that! I don't... I don't force them into my bed, or sexually bother them, it's like, if a girl wants me, she'll show me,” Dipper frowned. “I mean, that's part of the reason I've been single for six months, but, you know... I am fine. I don't need a girlfriend to justify why I'm alive.”

“Absolutely! You go, Dip!” Mabel nodded. “I usually just tell them that I have a boyfriend, and that sometimes works... sometimes you get guys who want you even if someone else has you... Ugh. It's like I need a big- oh man! I should make a sweater that says 'taken' on it!” Mabel beamed. “I bet that would help.”

“I hope it does!” Dipper chuckled. “Okay, I'm here at the classroom, enjoy your time with Will.”

“Sure thing!” Mabel said, hanging up the phone.

Dipper put his phone away, going into his class.

When he got out, he had a text from Mabel, glancing down at it. 'Dip, Will is in class 240, catch him there for me?' Shrugging, Dipper went off to that classroom, spotting Will coming out, looking around shiftily. “Will! Hey!”

Will looked over at him, startled, before running over to him. “Come on, we have to go!”

“Uh, sure-” Dipper managed, before Will caught him by the wrist, running through the halls. Will led him on this maze-like path to a small, empty building in the back of the campus, finally slumping down to the ground.

“I hate how in shape I am,” Will muttered, trying to catch his breath. “Sorry about that, I just didn't want him to find me. By Wednesday, I've got to find a new place to be, he'll find this place by then...”

“Well, you want to come to my dorm? You said you have a house, so... you could go to my dorm,” Dipper shrugged. “Bill can't get in there. We can do some kind of weird knock to help you know it's me?”

“If I could go to your dorm, I'd really appreciate that, but Pyramid would definitely find me,” Will breathed out, finally catching his breath. “If other people are here, I feel safer, so... thank you for coming here.”

“Pyramid... I guess that's Bill, right? You called him that before,” Dipper nodded, thinking. “Why'd he get that one? I mean, I can guess why you're Blue, but...”

“Mm...” Will crossed his arms. “... It's sort of complex... He's always been seen around pyramids. I don't really know how to explain it. In his baby pictures, his mobile was a pyramid... he just, everything about him, my whole life, reminded me of pyramids. It's... like... I don't know. He just... is. He is a pyramid? It's something you'd only notice if you lived with him.”

“I'll keep my eye on him and see if I notice it now that you mentioned it,” Dipper nodded.

“Sure...” Will sighed. “... I hate him. I know, he's trying to change, or so he says, but he's been so... ugh, forget it! Forget him.” Will crawled over to Dipper, settling down next to him.

“Well, hello again,” Dipper said, surprised that Will was right next to him.

“Hi,” Will sighed, closing his eyes. “I like you, you are similar to her, but... calmer.”

Dipper chuckled. “Thank you.”

“... You really should... get away from him,” Will looked over at Dipper. “You're better than that. You'll end up regretting it...”

“I won't let myself stay around him so long that I'll regret it,” Dipper winced. “We sit next to each other in a class, I can't really avoid that.”

“Hmm...” Will said, resting his elbows on his knees. “I suppose. Flee from him after that.”

Dipper smiled. “I get it. He's really made your life hell, huh?”

“Yeah...” Will fell silent.

After a moment, Dipper realized Will's eyes were on him with focus, studying him. “Wh-what is it?” Dipper ducked his head. “Did I say something weird?”

“No, just thinking. You're very quiet and calm. I'd flirt with you if you weren't straight,” Will chuckled. “But you're not that kind of man, are you? You're a straight one, friends with Pyramid. I shouldn't expect so much.”

“Y- you... uh, thank you,” Dipper chuckled, looking away, embarrassed. “I appreciate it... And, I don't know. I think I'm straight, but Mabel is very open minded, she really made me keep all the options in my mind... I really could be, just haven't met a him yet?”

“Well, if that is your thing, I hope you find a him,” Will smiled a bit. “If not, I hope you find a good her.”

“Thanks. Me too. I've been single a long time,” Dipper chuckled. “Well, not real long, six months... I guess I don't need to worry until it's been a year.”

“I've been single much longer than a year,” Will said, glumly. “Every time I met someone... I'd flirt with them softly, afraid, and then we'd get to that level, and we'd start dating... get close and intimate... and then he would come in like a bomb. I mean, the last guy, he pushed him-” Will shuddered, trying to get his breath. “I... I can't- I can't breathe...”

“Relax, relax, it's over now,” Dipper rubbed his arm. “It's okay.”

Shuddering, Will took a deep breath, trying to calm down. “He pushed him into traffic. He got bodychecked by a... it was a red truck... his ribs... No one saw how it happened except... except me, and if I claimed it was him and there was nothing to back me up... he would have... he would have pushed me into traffic! Or done worse! A-after that, I went to see him, in the hospital, and he gave me the most terrified look. He told me we couldn't be together again anymore. That so many bad things had happened to him since we started dating. He was scared he would die if we didn't break up. He said he loved me, but he loved his life more. So... ugh. Whoever I dated next, I'd have to hide it, hide it as hard as possible... I'm sure now that he thinks- or claims- that he loves me, he'd actually kill whoever I dated next, so I wouldn't risk your life over it anyway.”

Dipper reached over, putting his arm around Will's shoulders. “Sorry to get all touchy with you but... I'm sorry. That'd be really rough, not getting to date anyone, for fear of Bill.”

Will sighed, leaning against Dipper. “Yes...” there was a long silence, before Will looked up at Dipper. “It is.”

Dipper looked down at him, feeling a weird feeling in his gut. He hugged Will close, resting his head against the top of Will's head. After a moment, Will pulled away, staring hard at Dipper.

“W-what?” Dipper flushed. “... Something on your-”

Will flung himself against Dipper, kissing him suddenly and passionately. The feeling caused Dipper's stomach to lurch and he burned up with desire. The kiss continued for a few moments, before Dipper and Will managed to separate themselves, Dipper over top of Will, who was lying on the floor, panting. “Di- Dipper, I want more, I... I want more, but I know... I know, he'll come in, and he'll... Please, don't... he'll make this terrible...”

“I- I know... I'm sorry...” Dipper sat Will up, yanking him close in a hug. “... We'll stop...”

“Come with me, we'll flee the country, we'll... We'll never see him again,” Will whispered, in Dipper's ear. “Please...”

“I can't,” Dipper winced. “I'll never see Mabel again, and my parents, and my Grunkles, and my schooling... I'm sorry, Will.”

“... Yes, I know,” Will traced his fingertips across Dipper's clothed shoulder. “No one can love me enough to... to do that...”

“That's not the case!” Dipper flinched. “I like you very much, I just... my family doesn't try to kill me.”

“You are very lucky,” Will whispered.

The two of them sat there for a while like that, silently resting together, until the door shook. They both looked up at it, and the door opened. Will flinched, but then Mabel barreled in, beaming. “Hi-! … oh...” Mabel grinned from ear to ear. “You two, what are you doing? You know Bill will kill you?” She threw herself down on the floor, stretching out.

“We're not … we're not doing anything,” Dipper protested, before looking over at Will. “... I mean, we're just sitting here next to each other...”

“Dipper, your face screams that is not a platonic sitting next to each other,” Mabel chuckled.

“... Yeah, I guess...” Dipper winced. “But, yeah, Bill will kill us. We won't live. So...”

“I won't die, I have tried more times than I could ever count, but I'm not sure he's as death-proof as I am,” Will chuckled.

“Well, I would've warned you guys, but I did, and Dipper apparently didn't check his phone,” Mabel pointed.

“Oh,” Dipper dug his phone out. “You're right. You did. Whoops. Sorry, Will.”

“It's okay, I needed every minute of that. I've had the worst weekend...” Will rubbed his face. “I wanted to... to disconnect from all of it. Dipper really did help. But I wouldn't push it past that. The last guy, he almost died. I wouldn't do that to Dipper here.”

“Hmm. But if Bill wasn't into it, would you date him, Dip?” Mabel smirked.

“Oh, Mabel, come on,” Dipper flushed, looking away. “... Look, I... I don't know... yes. I feel stuff for him that I haven't for other guys, but right now, Bill is trying to win him over, if I stole Will out from away from him, I wouldn't just be killed, I'd be tortured to death.”

“Would you?” Mabel grinned at Will.

“... I don't know. I don't really think about dating until it's inevitable...” Will paused. “But, yeah, my heart, my gut... I guess, I really did want him to kiss me, but I don't want him to die. So that's just me being selfish.”

“Not going to lie... I wanted to, too, but literally, he'll kill me, and that would probably be the last thing that Will is living for right now. If he killed me, Will would shatter. I can't let that happen,” Dipper shook his head.

Will settled back down against Dipper's shoulder, closing his eyes. “I'm done for the day... are you?”

“I am,” Dipper nodded.

“My next class is in fifteen minutes, but it's only three to get there from here, so I'm gonna wait a bit,” Mabel nodded.

“Sure...” Will murmured, keeping his eyes closed. “... Look, I'm sorry I'm being so greedy right now, Dipper... I just, I need more of this... please, I was about to fall apart when Mabel found me this morning... I just... I have to... I need this. I'm sorry. If he catches us, I will completely... I will give myself over to him, and I will do anything. If he gets impressed enough by me, maybe he'll let you be.”

“Shh, okay? I know what would be in the cards for us,” Dipper winced. “I still wanted you, so...”

“You know, the way you're talking... it doesn't really sound like you didn't kiss,” Mabel rubbed her arm. “Did you guys actually...?”

“Um...” Will trailed off.

“Ooooooh,” Mabel pressed her fists to her mouth, eagerly. “Oh my god.”

“Mabel! If you... we didn't, okay? We- we didn't... If you go around and ever utter the word that you think we did, Bill will kill me, and probably turn me into a dining room rug for his house,” Dipper scowled. “Can you not-”

“I know, I know, I know,” Mabel flapped her hand. “I can keep my mouth shut! I just, if you did, which you didn't... but if you did, oh my god, that would be so amazing! You two would be so good!”

“We... we didn't... but... uh, thanks,” Will said, emptily.

“Yup! … Oh, hey, I need to get going to class, or I'm going to be late!” Mabel got to her feet. “Okay? Spend time together, just, you know, be friends, help him feel better, Dip!”

“Dipper nodded, wincing. Mabel took off, heading to class. “She is going to have me murdered,” Dipper rubbed his face. “She's- she's going to-”

Will looked up at him. “We should've discussed what to say and do about that... I'm sorry, I didn't think she'd guess.”

“It's not your fault. I- I wanted to, too. So, I dug that ditch for myself too,” Dipper sighed.

“He'll kill us. I'm so sorry.”

“I wanted it too, like- unusually, more than I ever wanted a man.” Dipper sighed. “You just-” there was a pause as he looked at him.

“I just, what?” Will wrinkled his nose.

“First, your eye, you have- Your eye is really, it gets my heart racing,” Dipper chuckled, brushing his thumb across Will's cheek. “And well-”

“My eye?” Will whispered.

“Right, eye-” Dipper started, before pausing. “You only have one eye? Born that way, like Bill?”

“Yes,” Will looked away. “But, different, too. We don't have the same parents. I was born like this, Pyramid... uh, I don't know how he lost his, but his face looks mangled under the eyepatch. Do you want to see it?”

Dipper reached toward the covered side, pausing. “It feels like it would be weird, to look.”

“No, go ahead and look,” Will chuckled.

Dipper brushed some of the hair back, looking dedicated to Will's face. “... It's- wow...” he whispered. “It's, the bones here are the same... but the... this is, there's no eyelid... And underneath, it's smooth... there's really no eye in there.”

“Really no eye in there,” Will nodded. “That's right. Doctors confirm it... Pyramid told me he used to get super angry when he saw it, but... it was actually just jealousy. He was envious that I don't need an eyepatch. … He talks about how attractive he thinks I am, but... truthfully, I think that's still jealousy. He wishes his face looked like this instead of like that. It's not that I'm attractive, I'm still mutated... but...”

“But you are,” Dipper said, softly. “You really are attractive, Will, don't destroy yourself. Your eye just- looking into it, I just feel completely stirred up, like I'm... like I'm sinking into something that I don't even want away from. I really care about you so much. Aside from that, it's just the way you carry yourself, it's like I can just tell that you're like an overpacked can... there's so many feelings inside you that you can't let out, it's like... I want- I want that. I want you to be able to show me how you feel, every feeling.”

Will leaned forward, kissing Dipper again softly, pausing. “I... thank you. We're already damned, aren't we?”

“I think so,” Dipper smiled, resting his forehead against Will's. “I'm sorry that she found out.”

“Then kiss me more... I... please?” Will asked, softly.

“... he really will kill us,” Dipper chuckled, but kissed Will again, letting the two of them get carried away with it.

 


	4. But It Isn't Manipulation

Later that night, Dipper sunk down on his bed, sighing. So... so difficult. His phone buzzed and Dipper checked it. 6:10, and of course it was Mabel. He answered the phone call. “Hi, Mabel.”

“Hi, Dip, so...” Mabel was practically buzzing with enthusiasm. “I know you guys didn't kiss, but it would be so amazing if you had, you two look so good together!”

“We didn't, that's right,” Dipper agreed, ruffling his hair. “... but, uh... Bill would really murder me with pleasure if he knew what I thought about Will right now. Mabel, I would die. You need to keep whatever you're thinking a gigantic secret.”

“That is so good, I really thought you didn't seem straight, I mean, I didn't disbelieve you, but I just felt like maybe there was more than that. I don't disbelieve any sexuality, I just thought you were too open to be completely straight,” Mabel nodded. “I hope Will likes you like that too!”

“Mabel, Bill will kill us. We didn't kiss, but if we had, Bill will literally snap my neck or throw me under the wheels of a bus on the road... I will absolutely die,” Dipper sighed, shaking his head. “This isn't like the cameras, I can't get 17 lives.”

“Oh... right. For some reason, I forgot that Bill is so mentally unstable...” Mabel was silent a moment. “... makes you wonder why he's not on some kind of pills, right?”

“I do wonder that, but you know, I don't know...” Dipper paused. “I don't know why he's... I just don't know. You know... Will and I were talking about dating, before the sitting next to each other thing... and he told me it had been a very long time for him... years. Bill never let anyone date him. The last one he dated got pushed into traffic, and no one saw that Bill did it except Will.”

“Oh... that's scary. I wish he could get away from Bill,” Mabel sighed. “But... I don't know. Will kissed Bill after that dinner. Maybe... Maybe- I don't know either. If Bill got him, then you couldn't... I don't know. I had never seen that look on your face with any of the girls you dated.”

“... Eh, what can we do,” Dipper muttered. “... it's okay, don't worry about it. I'll make it just fine if he stays with Bill. Er, gets with Bill.”

“It's hard not to worry. I don't really know how to turn it off,” Mabel said. “I think he should be happy.”

“Me too,” Dipper ruffled his hair. “Hopefully Bill really isn't going to pull something. If Bill pulled something, I'd probably have to end him before Will ends himself.”

“Ooh, hardcore!” Mabel beamed. “... okay, I need to get going, got a lot of studying to do.”

“Sure. I hope you commit it all to memory,” Dipper chuckled.

“Yup, later!” Mabel hung up. Dipper hung up too, staring at his ceiling. What a long day it had been. His roommate was flirting with a girl on the phone, and Dipper was pointedly ignoring it. His roommate wasn't bad... but he wasn't great, either.

A knock at his door startled Dipper into sitting up. “Eh?... want me to get it?”

“Yeah, baby, I'd love to- go ahead,” he told Dipper, turning back to his phone call.

Dipper rolled his eyes, going over to the door, opening it. “Hell... o? Will, what're you doing here?”

“Um... can I... look, I'm sorry about this, but would your roommate mind- and you, would the two of you mind if I stayed here tonight?” Will made a face. “I just... I can't sleep out on a park bench again. Please. Even your warm floor, it's actually quite cold and rainy this last month...”

“Let me ask him. Come on in for now,” Dipper ushered him in, shutting the door behind him. “Yo, Aaron, you mind if my buddy here stays here tonight?”

Aaron glanced over. “... Yeah, sure, but if he steals anything, he'll regret it. And not in my bed.”

“I won't, thank you,” Will flushed, sinking to the floor.

“Get off of there, you can share my bed, if we both sleep sides, we can fit,” Dipper chuckled. “Besides that, it's only seven, don't have to take the floor like a dog.”

“Oh, th-thank you,” Will got up slowly, sinking onto the foot of the bed. “... ah, man. Your bed feels so much better than the floor and park benches.”

“When he catches you, it's going to be rough,” Dipper warned softly, taking a seat next to him.

“It has always been that way, I'm not surprised,” Will shook his head.

“I was just talking to Mabel before you got here, and after that, I was literally just staring at the wall, so don't think I've stopped doing anything,” Dipper made a face. “I just want to sit here.”

“... do- do you mind if I take a nap, before bed?” Will winced. “Sorry, I'm really, really, really not trying to take your bed over, I just, I haven't slept very well, since Friday.”

“I don't mind, go ahead,” Dipper chuckled. “Nap away.”

“Thank you...” Will paused. “I think, maybe tomorrow, I'll slip back in through my window... I just... I don't want to go back. If I could, I'd never go back.”

“I hope everything gets better for you, Will. You deserve it,” Dipper watched Will settle down to sleep, closing his eyes.

“I don't... but thank you...” Will murmured.

Dipper started studying his classes, and went to get dinner an hour later, returning with an extra meal for Will. He poked him, and Will stirred.

“...mm?” Will murmured.

“I brought you food, want it?” Dipper held it towards him. “If you do, better eat it hot.”

Will sat up, sleepily eating the food Dipper brought. Dipper chuckled, settling onto his bed. “Good. Trash can is in that corner there, so that's where you dispose of that trash.”

Will continued eating silently, finally waking up once the meal was half over. “... Thanks, Dipper.”

“Sure thing,” Dipper nodded. “How is it?”

“Mm,” Will looked at it, thinking. “I am extremely grateful...”

“Yup, you're welcome,” Dipper chuckled.

“But it tastes like high school cafeteria food,” Will smiled. “If you do get a place with Mabel, I bet you'll get to eat better stuff.”

“Oh, yeah, Mabel is a really good cook,” Dipper nodded. “I- I can't say that about her when we were kids though. She makes this drink... It's Mabel Juice, if she ever offers it to you, don't accept it. I don't think she's made it in about two years but if it crosses her mind to make it again, and she offers it to you, you just- you're not thirsty, okay? You'll probably have a terrible reaction to it.”

“What is it?” Will wrinkled his nose.

“It's like... um, it's like juice but... it's got a lot of caffeine in it- I don't know how,” Dipper tried to describe it to him. “But it's always got some kind of plastic figures in it, sometimes it's dice, sometimes it's plastic soldiers, once it was unicorns... It's been a thousand different things, but just don't drink it if you have problems with caffeine, but if you do, if she convinces you, drink carefully, and watch out for the figures.”

“Hmm. I wonder if it's got caffeine pills in it? Or espresso?” Will murmured, thinking to himself.

“It doesn't really taste like coffee, it tastes like a super fruit juice with like twenty different kinds of fruit in it,” Dipper shrugged. “But yeah, when she made it the first time, she convinced me to give it a try. It was delicious, and after I finished the cup, I nearly had a heart attack. I ended up running all the way to school and back home and when I got home, I had the worst crash of my entire life... I think after that, she modified the amount of caffeine to like, 20% of that first batch, and I don't know what happened to it after that. But it's probably the caffeine pills, our Grunkles didn't have an espresso machine,”

“Hmm. Likely. That's pretty clever,” Will nodded. “The caffeine pills.”

“My sister was always super crafty, so... I'm sure she did come up with that herself,” Dipper chuckled.

Will got up, putting his trash in the can. He glanced up. “... someone's about to knock.”

“Huh?” Dipper asked, as a knock rang through the room. “How did you know that?” Dipper asked, impressed, going over to the door. He opened it. “Hell-... o. Hi, Bill, uh, what are you doing here?”

Bill's eye flashed with irritation. “I know he's here, and has he been here all weekend? All day? Have you intentionally been hiding him from me like I'm some kind of wild dog and he's a bone?”

“No!” Dipper flinched. “He hasn't! I just bumped into him and we got to chatting, he... he hasn't been here all weekend.”

Will took a deep breath, before moving to the door, softly resting his hand on the frame. “H-hi... Pyramid. No... I... I haven't been here all weekend. I really did just bump into him and we... we talked... I followed him back here. He heard that I... I hadn't been home, so he offered to let me nap on his bed... that's all. He's got a roommate, who just left, so you don't... don't have to worry about anything.”

Bill's face softened, and he reached out to touch Will's face. “Where have you been, Blue? I thought you might have died in there, there wasn't even a sign of you in your room all weekend.”

“Yes, I left Friday night...” Will looked away. “... s-sorry... I couldn't... couldn't... um...” His fingernails dug into the molding, unable to look at Bill. “... I couldn't bear to... to look at you, and talk to you, after... after that dinner...”

“What did I do wrong?” Bill looked down at him, leaning against the molding. “I thought we had a good time.”

“We...” Will whispered. “I just... Pyramid, don't forget- don't forget that I'm really scared of you. It would take time... time for me to... to forget... please, if you actually do- if you actually like me, give me time. Years can't be erased in one night. All the things you've done, Pyramid...”

Bill frowned, irritated, looking away. “I know. I'm trying. But I can't even try if you won't come home. How can I make it up to you if you won't let me near you?”

“I... uh...” Will paused, whimpering softly. “... I was going to come home tomorrow...”

“Are you going to sleep here?” Bill's tone caused Will to flinch and Dipper's chest to lurch. Dipper looked up, spotting a weird homicidal look in his eye.

“I... no, of course not,” Will answered, shaking his head. “I'm going back to sleep where I-”

“Come back home,” Bill took Will's elbow. “Blue, come home. The house feels wrong without anyone in it.”

“I, uh...” Will flinched. Dipper nodded softly at him.

“No point in sleeping again on a park bench, you're lucky no one raped or stabbed you,” Dipper said, softly.

“A park bench?” Bill snarled. “... Blue, come on. Come home.”

“... yes, I guess I will...” Will managed, flustered. “I- sure. Thank you, Dipper. I'll see you Wednesday.”

“Sure, have a good night,” Dipper waved.

Bill escorted Will down the hall, toward his car. “Come on, Blue, here,” he held the door open for him, shutting it behind Will when he got in. Bill got in a moment later, sighing. “... You slept on a park bench for three nights... and intended to go for four? I know you're afraid of me, but I think what someone on the street would have done would have been worse than what I would have done...”

“I'm deathly afraid of you,” Will whispered. “I am so scared of you, Pyramid.”

“I know,” Bill drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. “When I found out you were with him, with Pine Tree, I intended- I thought he was trying to take you from me. I intended to carve his heart out in the dorm room-”

“Oh, please don't,” Will flinched. “Please? What if I can never get over this crippling fear? Will I be single forever?”

“You will get over it,” Bill started the car.

“How do you know?” Will asked, worriedly. “I mean, why do you think that?”

“Because I won't stop until you feel the same I do,” Bill started driving. “Are you hungry?”

“I did just eat, but... it, it was really gross,” Will winced. “So, I guess no.”

“Want to go to a drive through and get you some food?” Bill gestured.

“Um, well, I'm actually okay,” Will flinched. “I took a nap, and when I woke up, Dipper had that plate of food for me, and so I ate it, and I was very grateful-”

Bill chuckled.

“What?” Will gave him an awkward look.

“You bumped into him, you convinced him to let you go back to his room, sleep on his bed, and even got him to bring you back food,” Bill grinned from ear to ear. “I bet you didn't even have to ask. People who are so manipulable are fun, aren't they?”

“Uh. I- I didn't, and I- I don't know. I don't usually manipulate anyone.”

“If I knew you weren't so romantic at heart, I'd recommend you take him into your bed, you could get him to do anything you wanted, ever but, I know. If you got him into your bed, you'd be attached to him. If you could stop that, then you wouldn't ever have to want for anything ever again.”

“Plus, I'm afraid... getting someone into my bed, you'd- you'd try to kill them,” Will muttered.

“We're gonna get you some food, even if you said no,” Bill chuckled, pulling into a drive-through. “You like this place?”

“I've never eaten here, actually,” Will glanced at it. “Sure.”

“It's my favorite,” Bill smirked. “Come on, let's get some food.”

Bill pulled through the drive-through, glancing at the menu. “I already know what I want, so get whatever you want.”

“Sure... but isn't this a place you wouldn't drive-through? I don't know what's on their table, so if I got a burrito, I wouldn't know how to tell them what to put in it,”

“Ah, let me cover that, I do have pretty good idea of what you like,” Bill nodded. He told them what he wanted to order, and then what Will wanted, listing the ingredients Will would want inside. “Sound good?”

“Mmm-hmm,” Will nodded, flustered again to talk to Bill. They drove around and waited a few moments before they took Bill's card, paying for the food, and passing the card back to Bill, along with his food a few moments later.

“Enjoy,” the server shut the window and they drove off.

“Pass me my burrito, too,”

“Sure,” Will pulled the two burritos out of the bag, looking at the wrapper. “Yeah, this is you, you got those green things on it.”

“Guacamole? Of course,” Bill nodded. “I forgot you actually hated that, not just dislike it.”

“I don't like them. They're mushy, like I'm eating baby food,” he passed it to Bill. He opened his own burrito, beginning to eat. “This is a really good burrito. I'm not getting any startling flavors out of this, it's like...” Will paused, taking another bite. “There's no sharp garlic or onion flavor, it's just- it's cheesy and a little spicy and salted. And it's creamy. It's so well blended, I like that it's not got that overpowering garlic flavor, I've eaten at a lot of places that drown their food in garlic, and it's just gross. Not my thing.”

Bill nodded, continuing to eat. “I just like them. I don't know anything about it.”

“Yeah, I like this place too,” Will nodded. “Good burrito.”

“So, no guacamole, no garlic, what else do you hate?” Bill asked, around his mouthful of food.

“I hate pork, I think it tastes like nothing at all and it fills all my teeth with strings,” Will shuddered. “Gross. And I think roasted broccoli is terrible, it keeps all that little, ball texture. And oranges. Pineapples make my mouth- I don't know, blister? I have a sore tongue for like five days after I eat them... none of this is particularly serious, like I can take it to eat them, I just never want to.”

“Picky guy,”

“I guess,” Will sighed. “Crunchy food, I'm not a fan of crunch. I have very certain textures I like, and certain ones I don't.”

“When I lost my eye,” Bill frowned, stopping at a light. Will looked at him, listening. “The accident was so bad. I mean, the car was a flaming ball of wreckage and no one is sure how I made it. You know my mom didn't. I did. My body was a sliced up mass of wounds and scars from burns. And my eye. My brain, too, it was really hurt from the impact... Well, I lost my taste after that, for like, four years. So it's a good shot I can't even taste 90% of what you can, but textures, I really learned to like them when I got nothing at all from my food. So, I'm very textured too. I think crunch is nice in a dish with a lot of mush, and a little mush is good in a dish with a lot of firm textures. Creamy texture is good. Spice is great, it was one of the first tastes I got.”

“Hmm. I guess if I couldn't taste anything at all, I'd tolerate more textures,”

"You'd be surprised.”

Will was silent a few minutes. “How'd- that accident thing happen?”

“No one really knows,” Bill took another bite of his burrito. “I don't remember. I don't even remember before the accident happened, so there's no way to know. The other driver- he said something like- He was driving, and he noticed ahead that our car was all over the place. Left side, right side, off the right side, left side again and he didn't have time to react. The car suddenly took off at a speed that he didn't expect, and it just connected in the worst ever way. We flew off the bridge after the crash and we went straight down, front first, and when we hit, I guess the car exploded. Or so the police report says.”

“Was your car broken? I mean, could she not control the wheels, you think?” Will frowned. “But, it sped up there at the end. I don't know. That's so weird.”

“There were lots of speculation on what happened. The car was not broken like that, so the gathered input was that... maybe... she was broken up about the upcoming divorce. Maybe she thought she didn't have a chance to move on without him, and intended to die, and I guess, take me with her? I don't know...” Bill finished his burrito, tossing the wrapper back in the bag. “I wasn't conscious for months after the event, so I didn't have to see her or anything. Just glad I didn't die.”

Will opened his mouth to respond, but paused, flinching. “I... yeah. That's good.”

“I don't even remember her,” Bill shrugged. “So- so, so! Yeah. I don't feel particularly lost or empty or anything, I just don't remember her. If I were gonna take myself out- which I won't, I'm going to live forever- but if I were, I'd do something like that too, so I get her. If that's what she was doing, she succeeded. I think the world would've been a lot safer if I hadn't made it.” Bill grinned from ear to ear.

“No kidding,” Will sighed. “But... it's good that you weren't killed by your mom. I've never heard your dad say anything about it.”

“Yeah, he doesn't talk about it,” Bill shrugged. “Guess it's kind of hard to think about your ex-wife killing herself and trying to kill your son too. Eh, life though, right? I'm still here, so... The world is gonna wish I wasn't, with everything in it...” He dug his nails into the steering wheel, fury in his eyes.

“Oh... I don't know if I like that. What does that mean?” Will flinched.

Bill laughed, pulling into their house, opening the garage. “I don't know... we'll find out.” He parked his car, getting out, Will following along behind him, fearfully.

“... When you say that, you don't mean like terrorist kind of bombs and burning buildings kind of wishing you weren't?” Will asked, fidgeting with his hands. “Right?”

“I can't see the future,” Bill grinned.

“... If we did end up – IF, I'm sure we won't,” Will said, hastily. “But if we did end up together, would that... do any good? I mean, I would 100% leave you if you started murdering people or dropping bombs.”

“Hmm,” Bill thought to himself. “... I can't see the future but I'm sure you won't be able to manipulate me! So... probably not.”

“... right,” Will looked away. “So, if you hadn't been told that you liked me – I guess. You would have kept going until I died?”

Bill frowned, looking at him. “Why are we discussing this? I never noticed the slightest sign that I didn't hate you... I didn't see what I did as anything other than hate... I don't really know many feelings aside from anger and hate. So I just thought this was the same as that... which it is, just without the violence and blood. It's the opposite of that, but just with much of the same. Jealousy, desire, rashness, there's even a lot of the same feelings in it!... I'm sure if Pine Tree hadn't mentioned that he thought it was me liking you... then I never would have thought of that. So... it's likely, yeah. For sure! I would have kept going until you died or proved yourself immortal, and I don't even think that would've stopped me. The immortal thing, not the dead thing. If you ended up dead by my hand, I'm sure initially, I would have felt some kind of victory... and then, when the days went by and there was no you, never you again... I would have felt super angry and lost. I don't know how long, or if I ever would have figured it out from there...”

“I see,” Will sighed. “I shouldn't be with you, Pyramid. I don't... I don't think we-”

Bill whirled on his heel, stalking toward Will until he was trapped between the wall and Bill, causing Will to whimper, covering his face. “This again? Give it up, I don't release a treat when I have it.”

“But you don't...” Will managed to whisper softly. “... You don't have it, and even if we did date, I wouldn't have any kind of... say in us, or anything we did, or anything. Last week, you wanted me dead, and you were succeeding by the day... If we dated, it would just be an intimate relationship that took the little scraps of me left and ground them into sandpaper... I can't feel that way about you.”

“You will,” Bill growled, stroking Will's face. “... I can tell you, you will.”

“All you have to say is in response to me saying I can't... not the other things I said...” Will closed his eyes. “You know it's true...”

“I won't let you go. Not alive,” Bill frowned. “So instead of can't, switch your thinking to can. Otherwise, the time I have to wait for yes will become worse for you.”

“... I get it. I understand,” Will said, softly. “... I get it. Excuse me.”

He slipped past Bill, going into his room, locking it behind him. He went into the bathroom, sitting on the floor. Will fidgeted with his razor, thinking to himself.

This was actually it. For a few moments on Friday, Will had forgotten that he was dealing with Bill... with the one who had destroyed everything Will had, who had done his best to murder him over and over again, and how could he forget? Maybe... No, this wouldn't work. Will had tried the razor thing before. He still had the scars across his wrists.

Will settled his thoughts, and determined in two weeks, when Bill's guard against him was down, Will would wait until Bill was in class... he would do what he needed to do. It was the only way he would ever get away from Bill.

Before he found himself too caught up in his thoughts, he dialed Mabel, waiting for her to answer.

“... hello? Hi, Will! You don't call me!” Mabel laughed. “What's going on?”

“I just... I needed to hear a good voice,” Will was silent a moment. “He found me at Dipper's dorm, and was very aggressive that I come home, so I did.”

“Oh... I'm sorry,” Mabel said, softly. “You okay?”

“Oh, yes, I'm fine, don't worry,” Will said, keeping his tone bright. “It's all alright.”

“So... Dipper's dorm, huh? The third party wasn't an issue?” Mabel giggled.

“No, he didn't really speak to or acknowledge us,” Will nodded. “We just sat there for a while and then I took a nap. Your brother is very kind.”

“Dip is very kind, I agree! He's super smart, though, I'm not sure why he came to this college, he could've went to a much bigger one,” Mabel shrugged. “I asked him lots of times and he always gave me little half or quarter answers and then changed the subject.”

“Brothers. They're a mystery, aren't they?” Will murmured, amused by her words.

“For sure,” Mabel agreed. “Why're you at this college, Will?”

“... I- I'm not sure,” Will rubbed his arm. “I guess I picked it because it's like three miles from our home, but... I don't really know why I picked any of them. I should've just abandoned the higher education thing. I thought I could avoid him as much as possible, and get through my education, and then... then do something, but... he found me so fast.”

“Do you like college?” Mabel asked, cheerfully.

“... Again, I'm not sure. I learned that it's not good to... to feel that way? So... maybe,” Will stretched his legs out, looking toward the ceiling. “But... I don't know. It's still not too late to drop out. Maybe I will.”

“Oh, no, what will you do then?” Mabel knit her eyebrows. “I don't think that's such a good idea, what will you do later when you want a job?”

“... I don't know,” Will shook his head. “I haven't thought that far ahead. I'll keep it in mind, for sure. You're right.”

“Right? There's like, hundreds of things to think about. Since I have graduated high school, it turns out there's like hundreds of things I never knew I needed to think about!”

Will was silent a moment. “Hey, I need to let you go, Mabel. I'm going to... um, I'm moving to my bed. He can't hear me here, but there, I think he can.”

“Sure. See you, Will!” Mabel beamed.

Will hung up and moved to his bed, climbing into it. Talking to Mabel had tipped off something in his mind. He needed to gather every loose end he had, and make sure to cut them before two weeks was up. Hundreds of things to think about... He closed his eye, covering his face with his arm. Bill would never let him go... this was the only option he had.

 

Dipper settled into the cafeteria, beginning to pick over his tray. Bill hadn't come to sit next to him that class, and hadn't followed him out, or to here, either. He must've been quite irritated with finding Will in his room... Dipper didn't really know.

Will was nowhere in sight, and it made Dipper wonder where he'd gone off to, he didn't need to avoid Bill anymore... or did he? In Dipper's mind, Will should put himself on the other side of the planet, far away from Bill, but... Will was kind of empty. He likely wouldn't make it out of town, much less across the world.

He spotted blue and glanced up, Will was walking with Mabel, not looking in her direction. He looked up and spotted Dipper, lifting his hand, gesturing that way. Mabel turned immediately, jumping excitedly. “DIP! DIP! HI!” Mabel yelled across the cafeteria. Will flinched violently, staggering away from her, startled by her enthusiasm. She turned to Will, grinning from ear to ear. She tugged on his arm, looking toward Dipper again.

Will let himself be corralled toward Dipper, standing next to the table.

“Hi, Will, good morning,” Dipper smiled. “You doing okay? Monday was kind of weird for you.”

“Yeah, it was,” Will didn't look at him, either. “But... it's okay. I've given up.”

“... given up?” Dipper repeated, frowning. “What does- what does that mean?”

“It means I'm going to give every last bit of me to try to... try to give him what he wants. I'm just going to give up. My... anxiety attacks, I'll just have to take pills before I see him and eventually...” Will shook his head. “Eventually.”

“Will, you can sit down,” Dipper gestured at the table. “And...it seems weird, what you said.”

Will looked around the cafeteria. “I... can't. If he detects how important the two of you are to me...” his voice was so soft, Dipper could barely hear it. “... he'll... I can't. I've lost so much. The two of you... I couldn't. So... thank you both for your kindness. If you value your lives, you won't talk to me again. Thank you both, so much.” Will bowed his head before turning and fleeing the cafeteria.

“Woah!” Dipper reached out toward him. “... Mabel... he... he left. I … text him! I don't want him to just take off... He's really a good friend to me- I-”

Mabel lifted her phone, shooting him a text. “Me too, I don't want him to just bail on us.”

“Yes... maybe we can... maybe we can help him, so he won't be afraid forever,” Dipper sighed.

Mabel nodded.

 

Will took a seat on the ground, tucking his knees to his chest. If he wanted Bill's guard down, he needed to push past his limits, and do anything, literally anything he could, to get Bill to trust him. It needed to start today. Gathering everything in him, suppressing the fear, he took an anti-anxiety pill before going off to find Bill.

He finally found Bill sitting in the room Will had been camping in the day before, fidgeting with some kind of bone. Will smiled softly, feeling his pill beginning to kick in. “Hi, Pyramid.”

Bill looked up, surprised. “... What're you doing here? You don't seek me out,” He knit his brows. “I know you don't usually attempt to trick or trap me, but I am suspicious.”

Will thought a moment, unsure of how to answer Bill's question. “You said to think can, right?” He walked over to Bill, taking a seat next to him, nuzzling against Bill's shoulder. “... So, I am thinking can...”

“How many pills did you take to do this?” Bill chuckled, putting an arm around Will's shoulder.

“Uh, just one, but, who knows, maybe I'll need a second one?” Will winced. “... I- I don't know...”

“Well, thanks,” Bill smirked. “It really does feel good to get to hold you like this.”

“Yes, thank you- er, you're welcome? I don't know what to say-” Will shook his head.

“Can I kiss you, or is that too much?” Bill grinned from ear to ear, entertained by Will's reaction.

“Um... I need more minutes,” Will winced. “Just, ten, maybe...?”

“Oh, I'm cleared for that too?... How much am I cleared for?” Bill grinned, venom in his grin.

“Uh, I don't know?” Will winced. “I'll need to take more pills if... if you want more than that?”

“Ooh,” Bill grinned. “Yeah, I do.”

“... I see, well...” Will looked away. “Whenever you're ready.”

“But I have class in five minutes ago, so... you'll have to wait,” Bill winked. “Alright?”

“Sure,” Will sighed. “I'll see you.”

Bill chuckled, heading off. Will fidgeted before heading out, heading for the bus, going home. He checked his phone, making a face. A message from Mabel. He opened it, reading it. Mabel was quite worried about him, asking him to come back, saying that they missed him. Will sighed, looking out the window. Mabel... Will had to do this to protect her and Dipper.

Dipper. Will did actually like him very much. There was no Bill around to judge him, so Will closed his eyes and dreamily imagined how far he and Dipper could get without Bill in his life. He continued imagining that until he got out at home, going into the house and straight into his room. He continued thinking about Dipper, until he fell asleep curled up in his bed.

There was a loud knocking on his door that startled him awake. Will stalked over to it, opening it up for Bill, freshly nervous. “Hi, Pyramid.”

“I looked for you, why'd you come home?” Bill grinned, pushing his way into Will's room.

“Sorry, my classes were done,” Will flinched.

“Well, come here, I want that kiss you promised,” Bill reached out toward Will.

“Of course...” Will walked over toward the bed, sinking down on it.

Bill sunk down on the bed next to him, before throwing him down onto his back, crawling over top of him, dominating his mouth in a forceful kiss, the kiss startling the air out of Will. The kiss lingered for a while, before Will broke the kiss, gasping. His pants were definitely being undone, and it was leading to a weird place and Will wasn't prepared.

“Pyramid! What are- If you're- I need my pills,” Will reached out toward the bathroom.

“Just relax, just enjoy it,” Bill smirked. “That shouldn't make you too anxious.”

“Right, y-yeah...” Will closed his eyes, trying to calm his breathing. The session continued, and when Bill continued, Will put the most of his effort into the calming breathing exercises, trying to stay calm.

When his legs were hiked up, his eyes flew open. “Pyramid! I... uh-”

“I'm not stopping,” Bill growled. “You said I could.”

“R-right... right, I uh, alright,” Will closed his eyes. “Go ahead.”

Bill grinned again, amused. “Good.”

Once it was over, Will staggered into the bathroom, taking his anti-anxiety pills, sitting down on his toilet, cleaning himself out, before going back to his bedroom. Bill was smirking, looking up at him. “So, how was it?”

“Uh... It- it was,” Will winced, settling down on his bed again. “Sorry, it'll take... it'll take time. I can't... I can't get used to it. Not yet.”

“By this time next year, you'll come to me and ask me for this... You'll desire it,” Bill smirked.

“Well, we'll see,” Will said, softly.

“You came quite enthusiastically.”

“Well, when you hit that spot, a couple times, it did push me into the green, but...” Will flinched.

“Right, you were very into it,” Bill chuckled.

“I guess,” Will glanced toward the door.

“Thinking about slipping out again?” Bill grinned. “Well, don't. I'll have to get angry with you.”

“Mm. Right,” Will sighed. “... Why weren't you with Dipper today? I noticed you weren't with him.”

Bill's eye flashed. “I still want to gut him. I figured you didn't deserve that. So I avoided him.”

“You want to gut him?... why?” Will flinched. “I mean, he was kind to me...”

“I'm glad but I can't be sure why,” Bill frowned. “Is he kind because he wants to do to you what I did? He wants you in his bed, so he's kind? Or is he just a gullible fool, letting you manipulate him as much as you want?”

Will looked away, flustered. “Um, I think... the second sounds more... right? I think he is the second. The gullible fool thing. I do like him a lot though. Besides that, Dipper is straight, he doesn't like guys that way. So you really don't need to worry.”

“... I suppose,” Bill looked toward the ceiling. “... Yes, that's true. He's never dated a guy. Just don't manipulate him into your bed. If I found out, he'll definitely not live to apologize.”

“I won't,"

“I need to worry about him and you, simultaneously. You are the type who'd manipulate anyone in your favor, without even trying... So, if I can be sure that you wouldn't try anything, and him, then I'll relax on him,” Bill slid out of bed.

“Don't worry. I've given up my... my hopes of... getting away.” Will sighed. “Don't worry. I won't resist anymore.”

“Good!” Bill pulled his clothes back on. “I'm glad to hear that!” He grinned, walking over to Will, pulling him against him. “All these things combined, this has been my favorite day.”

“I'm glad,”

“I'm going to head off, I've got things to do in my room,” Bill smirked, heading to the door. “Take it easy, Blue.”

“Sure thing,”

Once Bill was gone, Will sighed, softly. How difficult. He picked up his phone, texting Mabel back. __**I am fine, don't worry. I am protecting you and Dipper too  
You two are my friends the last thing of value I have left  
**__**Let me**

He sent the text, before setting his phone on the nightstand, looking toward the ceiling. That whole thing with Bill had been somewhat more tolerable when Will imagined it had been Dipper, but it was hard when Bill hadn't stopped talking from the first moment to the end, but eventually, Will had managed to ignore him.  
At least Will had had met someone to imagine Bill was... otherwise, he couldn't imagine getting through it.

His phone buzzed again, and Will checked it.

_**Tryn, but will :(** _

Will chuckled. She was really something. His phone buzzed again and he checked it.

_**Gave Dipdiperino your # sry if he spams** _

Will's eyes widened. _**Uh, no... no message from him yet. Are you sure that was a good idea? You know what Bill will think**_

The message returned quickly. _ **Were both ur friends so its cool**_

Right... Will sighed, setting his phone on his bed. He closed his eyes, trying to rest his body. Bill had been really quite fierce in his efforts... Will's body was quite bruised. He was drifting off into sleep when his phone buzzed again. Sleepily, he picked it up, focusing on the screen. An unknown number... Dipper, he guessed. He checked it, hesitantly.

_**Hi, Will. This is Dipper Pines. I don't know if you like texting, if you don't, don't worry about answering, I just hoped to check on you and make sure that you're okay.** _

Will sleepily chuckled. These two were dorks. _**I'm fine, Dipper, don't worry about me. Pyramid and I, I think Pyramid won't hurt me from this forward.**_

The message was rapid-fire. _**Why? What does that mean?**_

Will thought a moment, before texting back. _**Well, we're officially a couple now, so he won't want to hurt me. You and Mabel still need to stay away from me... he might try to hurt the two of you to hurt me.**_

There was a long pause. Will had just started to drift again when his phone went off. He was too sleepy to respond to it, falling asleep a moment later.

 

The next morning, Will checked his phone. A single message was there. _**I'm so sorry, Will.**_

Will put his phone away, curling up in his bed. Awkward. He took a shower, then got dressed and headed out to sit at the college. He was comfortable in the cafeteria when he felt a hand on his shoulder. “Hello,” Will said, softly.

“Hi, Will, what's going on?” Dipper settled in next to him. “You never come in Tuesday – Thursday.”

“I just, didn't want to be at home,” Will looked down at his drink. “I mean, it's fine, I'm not afraid to be there anymore. I just didn't want to be there.”

“So, a couple, huh?” Dipper was silent a moment. “... I'm really so sorry. I know that's not what you want.”

“It's fine, I enjoy it...” Will looked over at him, before taking a drink. “I've decided to stop thinking can't, and start thinking can, it'll make everything easier.”

“... no, that's not right. That's...” Dipper sighed. “... I wish that you could be happier.”

“... It's fine, really,” Will patted his arm. “... you have classes?”

“Nah, I just have one today and I already took it,” Dipper shook his head.

“... Can I go back to your room with you? I'm just sitting here and I keep getting these looks,” Will glanced around.

“Sure, come on,” Dipper nodded.

 


	5. Try to List Two Things I Hate More than Unicorns

Will settled down on Dipper's bed, rolling the drink in his hands. “... I don't want to be... I made a mistake coming here with you again. I'm really trying to... to separate myself from the two of you, to protect you...”

“Hey, you can't give up everything,” Dipper sat down next to him.

“... I already have,” Will took another drink of his soda, looking down at it.

Dipper reached over, looping his fingers in Will's hair. “You can't... Will, don't let him take everything away from you.”

Will leaned toward him, hesitating. “... Dipper, he'll... he'll kill us...”

“I know, you've said,” Dipper leaned toward him as well, kissing him deeply, getting Will's arms tangling around his neck. He rested his hands on Will's hips, rubbing them gently. “Mmf, Will...”

Will lay back, pulling Dipper down on top of him. “Look, I'm so greedy...” Will shuddered, closing his eyes. “Dipper, I'm so greedy... I want all of this, I just had this yesterday, but I want it... please...”

Dipper shivered. “I-”

Will looked up at him, desire in his eyes, threading his fingers through Dipper's hair. “Kiss me more?”

Dipper kissed Will again, the kiss burning hot and passionate, the two of them getting carried away. Once they were both mostly undressed, they paused for a moment, their foreheads pressed together, breaths mingling as they looked into each other's eyes.

“I have no- no idea how to... how to go forward,” Dipper shook his head, breathily.

“We don't have... we don't have the stuff,” Will kissed him again, running his hands down Dipper's chest. “But, um, there's still... we can still do things. … Your- your roommate won't come in, will he?”

“No, he's got his Wednesday class canceled, so he went home until Thursday,” Dipper kissed Will's neck, then his shoulder, getting a blissful breath from Will.

“Good, then, do you have a lotion, or something slick?” Will looked toward the sink.

Dipper nodded, breathily. “Yeah, I have some.” He reached over to the sink, opening a drawer, pulling it out. “Okay... what is this for?”

Will chuckled, breathily, getting up onto his knees. “I'll show you. Come here.”

Dipper moved toward him, the curiosity leading to a burning desire in his eyes. Will rubbed too much of the lotion on his hands, taking Dipper's length in his hands, covering it with the lotion.

“Ah...” Dipper shuddered, bowing over, digging his fingers into the sheets. “That... that feels good...”

Will grinned, turning his back to Dipper, sliding back against him. “Okay, Dipper, here...” He reached behind, putting Dipper's length between his thighs. “Thrust here.”

“I, ah... but, won't that not feel good for you...?” Dipper gripped Will's hips, sliding in.

“It's- it's fine,” Will increased the pressure in his thighs, leaning forward onto his elbows, turning his head to look at Dipper. “Just take care of me after...”

Dipper started to thrust into Will's thighs, shivering as he did. “That feels so good... I wish I'd always known about this...” He reached around Will, wrapping his hand around his length, gripping firmly, jerking it to match his thrusts.

Will moaned in surprise, digging his fingers into the sheets, dropping his head to the pillow, burying his face, cutting off his moans of sheer pleasure. “Ah- yes...!” He managed, around the pillow. “That's- yes! That's- ugh... That feels so good... Dipper...”

Dipper leaned forward, pressing his back against Will's, his shaky breaths dancing across Will's ears, continuing to rub him as he thrust. “I- yes, this feels good... I- I should warn you, I'm not much about... stamina...”

“It's- it's okay,” Will gasped, arching his head back. “Me- me either.”

“I'm going to explode,” Dipper laughed, trying to stay serious, continuing his thrusts. “Ugh, man... this is so good. It's unbelievable...”

Will turned his head to meet Dipper's, drawing him into a kiss, around the thrusts and actions they were doing. “Next time, it will be even better...” Will raspily managed, at the end of their kiss.

“Will- I can't... I can't go much longer,” Dipper panted in his ear.

“It's okay, me either,” Will threw his head back. “Come on... keep going,”

Dipper continued thrusting, and finally, he couldn't hold back. “I'm- I'm cumming, Will,” he panted. “It's... it's right- right... agh...”

“Go- go ahead... me- me too,” Will moaned in response, finishing hard, his nails ripping little holes in Dipper's pillow. Dipper came just a few seconds after, getting their combined cum all over his sheets, the two of them collapsing into it moments later.

“... That felt so good,” Dipper breathed out, slowly. “... I've got to go to the laundromat soon.”

Will laughed softly, threading his arms around Dipper's neck, closing his eyes. “Yes, we made a mess, didn't we?... Don't... don't tell anyone about this, Dipper...” Will looked up at him, his face an odd combination of satisfied and scared. “It's not that I don't want everyone to know, I do. … I am just...” Will's voice paused a moment.

Dipper rubbed his nose against Will's, comfortingly. “It's okay, Will.”

“I'm just, I'm so happy,” Will whispered. “I'm so happy with you. And... He won't be able to stand that another man makes me this happy. I haven't felt this happy in a very long time. Did you know, last night, when he... he took me, I- I'm sorry. I closed my eyes and I imagined that it was you. It was the only way I could take it. If he took you and... if he hurt you...”

“I won't tell anyone. I promise,” Dipper ran his fingers through Will's hair, pausing. “This is just so interesting to look at. I mean, I am not trying to reduce you to anything or say anything rude or condescending. It's just, I've never seen anything like this.”

“Yes, it was genetic, passed down from my father,” Will nodded. “He had two fingers missing on one of his hands... so I think he hoped it wouldn't be genetic, just an error... But it was genetic. I can't imagine seeing with two eyes like you do. Do you think it's really that different? I have trouble seeing on my left side, obviously... and I guess, I hear people talking about depth perception, but I don't know what that is. I can't imagine seeing layers of things.”

“Hmm... I can't imagine how you'd learn to drive like this,” Dipper murmured.

“I don't drive. Pyramid does, but... he's not very good at it. I'm often very scared by his driving,” Will chuckled.

“Well, I can imagine, if you can't actually see how far away a car is from your car... It's got to be tough,” Dipper nodded. “Okay, if you want to take a shower, I'll take one after you, and we'll get our clothes on and maybe you'd follow me to get my sheets washed? You don't have to if you don't want to.”

Will chuckled. “I would love to follow you around and stay the night and just never leave, but... Pyramid, you know. I'm sorry. I should really get home.”

“I understand. Go ahead and take your shower. Clean our mess off of you,” Dipper chuckled. “I'll just start cleaning up in here.”

“Sure.” Will went off to take a shower in the joined shower, cleaning it all off him. When he returned to the bedroom, Dipper had everything in a bag at the foot of the bed, and he glanced up with a smile. “Hi, Will. Trade off,” he chuckled, slipping in behind Will.

Will walked back into the bathroom, sinking down on the toilet, pants on. “That was all so good. Dipper, I like you so much, you know... I just, I keep thinking that you say you like me and you enjoy being with me, but that would change so fast when he shows what he is capable of. I want you so much, but you will only want me until he turns on you. Otherwise... I think I'd date you for years, easily, without trying. But Pyramid is really brutal. He won't let me have anything, and if this ever in my life got back to him... he'd punish both of us. Me for manipulating you into this, and you for doing this when you knew who he was and what he was about.”

“He's so... brutal,” Dipper frowned. “I know you keep saying what he is about and what he does...” Dipper washed his hair as well, making sure there was no trace of anything on it. “But I just can't imagine it. I can't... see someone being that evil, it's like he's Hitler who just hasn't blossomed yet.”

“... I think compared, Hitler was a kind artist, who happened to like murder,” Will clasped his hands. “It's not something you can understand until you see it.”

“... No, I guess I can't understand it until I see it,” Dipper finished rinsing his hair, turning the water off. “I do believe it, I just... I can't imagine it. It's hard to even see that whole thing as possible.”

“Well, it is, and now, I've invited you into hell with me,” Will said, absently. “I'm so sorry, Dipper. This isn't what you wanted.”

“I wanted you,” Dipper said, surprised, toweling himself off. “I'm literally just as much at fault here as you are.”

“You don't want him on you to murder you... I can tell you that,” Will sighed. “... I hate how conflicted I am, Dipper. I want more of this, so, so, so much more... but with every time you speak to me, the more I... the more I like you, the more I want you, and the more likely your life is on the line.”

“I suppose,” Dipper pulled the clothes he'd put on top of the shower wall on. “I can't imagine how tough it must be for you.”

“... I want to tell you to leave me and not to speak to me ever again, to save your life, but... I don't want you to leave me. I am selfish,” Will chuckled.

“I'm selfish too,” Dipper laughed, shaking his head. “... ah, that really was so good. Hearing all your muffled moans and breaths and... your voice when you were just tipping toward the end... you were exactly as much of a pleasure to experience as the thigh thing... which I absolutely loved, I'm going to keep that going for the rest of my life... but... I don't think it would have been nearly that good if you weren't on the other side.”

“If I manage to deny myself the only thing in this world I want, to save your life... then this may be one of the last times we talk,” Will sighed. “If it is, please, don't hate me... just understand that you staying alive will be the last thing I've got left in this world.”

“I... I understand,” Dipper adjusted his shorts. “... okay, let's, uh... let's head out of here?”

“Sure,” Will followed Dipper out of the bathroom, heading over to the door. “See you, Dipper. Take it easy.”

“Bye, Will. See you later!” Dipper beamed, sliding his socks on, sitting on his bare mattress.

Will headed out, going to the bus stop. He stopped at a fast food place, getting some food, letting himself dry off completely before he went home. When he got home, Bill was sitting on the couch, fidgeting with his phone, a pile of textbooks on his right.

“Ah, there you are...” Bill murmured, putting his phone away. “You were gone a long time. It's almost 7pm,”

“Yes, I went to the college to look at some texts to help me with my classes...” Will nodded. It was still a little scary to see Bill just sitting there on the couch, looking pleased to see him. “How was your day, Pyramid?”

“Ah, dull,” Bill complained. “Homework, and waiting all day for you to come home... it was very dull. I was just getting ready to call ya!”

“Yeah, sorry. I need to get started on my own homework,” Will shook his head. “I planned on working on it with the text's help... but I got carried away with all of them, so... no good there.”

“You don't need to work on anything,” Bill waved his hand. “You're almost as much of a genius as me... we could have gotten in any college anywhere. It'll take you just as long as it takes to write down the answers...”

“I still have to do it! I've got six pages to fill out and I have to do it,” Will went off to his room. Bill followed after him, leaning against the door-frame.

“... Blue... can I come in... too...?” Bill pleaded, his voice soft.

“... No. Please don't... I- I'll let you in to do whatever you want, after I finish the papers...” Will shivered. “Okay? Just a little more time.”

“... Sounds great!” Bill beamed. “I'll see you when you're done!”

Will shut the door, doing his homework he'd told Bill about, before cleaning himself up extra carefully. Just a few weeks of this, and then he'd be gone. For real gone. And he'd never come back.

He had to make sure that Bill didn't find out what Dipper had done... once he was totally clean with no trace, he went and opened the door. He could hear Bill's eccentric off-key singing about a chaos town from the living room, and he took a deep breath, heading out to see Bill. The whole house was an unsafe space... but he had to, to prove to Bill that he won.

Bill was lying upside down on the couch, flipping through the channels. He glanced up to see Will, and sat up on his elbows. “You finished! I knew it'd be fast!”

Will shivered a little. “Yes... I knew you... you were in a hurry, so I... rushed.”

“Come here,” Bill patted the couch next to him. “I missed you, Blue! You don't have class today! I thought you were home ignoring me!”

“No, I just wasn't here... I walked around town, thinking,” Will lied, fidgeting with his hands, taking the seat next to Bill. “... Just, you know... Our house isn't... really, safe, either. But I'm starting to try to... accept you and believe you...”

Bill scooted until he was lying across Will's lap. “Kiss me, Blue. I want you to.”

Will shivered, but took a deep breath. “Okay, sure...” Will bent over in half, kissing Bill nervously.

Bill captured Will's face in his hands, pulling him lower, kissing him deeply. The kiss was so long and so heated that Will broke it to gasp for air.

“Pyramid, I have- have to breathe!” Will flushed.

Bill flipped around, getting up and climbing over top of Will, grinning to himself. “Come on. I'll let you breathe but I want to take everything. All of this is mine...”

Will shivered. “Pyramid...”

Bill chuckled. “Let me have all of it.”

As Bill kissed his way down Will's neck and bit and bruised the skin, Will closed his eyes tight and allowed his mind to make up the idea that it was Dipper and not Bill.

 

When it was over, Will was in more pain than he'd been the time before, curling up in bed after. “Pyramid, it hurts so much when you do that... can you- can you please not hurt me so much next time?”

“Hurts you? How?” Bill asked, sitting up.

“You, your fingers. They have so much pressure, I bruise like a banana. And when you're doing it, you put me in weird... ways that hurt. I'm not as flexible as you want me to be...” Will sat up too. “Can you see all the bruises?”

Bill lightly traced his fingers along Will's bruises. “I'll try to stop this. I didn't know I was giving you so many bruises. My Blue doesn't deserve that...”

Will laughed out in surprise, the laugh sounding kind of chaotic. “Don't I? Of course I do- of course- I- ha-” Will gaped, rubbing his chest. His breath was raspy and there were long gaps between them. He just managed to stand up, staggering toward the bathroom. He managed to get to the bathroom, followed by Bill. He popped one of his anxiety pills, curling up naked on the floor. He had to wait for it to kick in.

Bill knelt down by him, poking him. “You really are covered in bruises. I didn't know I was doing this, I was just caught up completely in my pleasure... we ought to do this every day from now on, you were so loose!”

Will shuddered. “If you … if you stop hurting me... then, then yes. Sure...”

Bill laughed. “I'm glad, I'm glad! It feels so good since you started agreeing to date me! Agh...” He hugged Will to him, listening as Will's breathing began to even out.

Will finally sat up, before climbing to his feet. “I feel better now... I'm going to take a shower and go to bed...”

“I feel better too but it's for a different reason,” Bill chuckled. “Good night, Blue,” he rubbed his hair, before heading off.

Will climbed into the shower, cleaning himself up as carefully as he could, before getting out and toweling off. He got dressed again, climbing into bed. He had to make it for two days short of two weeks...

Dipper didn't see Will for the next three days, but when he did, he gasped. “Will! You look … are you okay?” He moved toward him.

Will flinched, taking a step back. “No... I mean, I'm okay, I am. I'm really fine, just... don't touch me or come near me... I'm okay. Just don't touch me...”

“... What's wrong?” Dipper managed.

“Nothing. I am fine,” Will said, turning to run off. He was no more than three long strides away before Dipper grabbed his wrist.

“Will! Don't lie, what's wrong?”

Will trembled, afraid. “... nothing. I... I just...”

“Come on. Come with me to my dorm. We'll talk there, if you want to. If you really don't want to, then I'll let you go,” Dipper said, softly. “Bill's in class now, he won't know.”

Trembling, Will nodded. Dipper led him to his dorm, sitting him down on the bed. “Can I sit next to you or are you too afraid?”

Will clasped his hands. “I... no. I mean, whatever you want. Do whatever you want...”

Dipper took a tentative seat next to him. “Will, please, talk to me... I'll listen. I'm here to listen to you...”

Will looked at him, trembling harder. “I... I've been... I've been doing it right, submitting the most, working hard to please him to... to keep him happy so I don't get hurt anymore... with every day, every time he... t- touches me, I feel sicker and more scared and my fear and my pleasure is mixing together and I almost can't even tell them apart anymore! I'm so afraid of him and I have to keep going... I have to survive. … But I don't want to...”

“I mean, you only have to survive until he- he gets tired of you or... I don't know. I don't know. I'm so sorry, Will...” Dipper rubbed his shoulder, gently.

“... Can't... can't you leave with me?” Will whispered. “Please... please, just... buy a plane ticket, or a bus ticket, or anything and just... let's go. Go away. Away from him... I know you said your family... but you can come back and visit them later... please...”

Dipper's stomach churned. “Will...” He stroked his face gently. “I... I would, but they'd... they'd have such a hard time understanding why... I can... I just...”

Will gripped his shirt, tears pouring down his face. “Please... please escape with me. I can't do it alone...”

Dipper was silent a moment. “... Okay. Okay, this is the most reckless thing I've ever done. Ever. But... let's go. Right now. Do you have money for a plane ticket?”

Will sobbed. “I- I do, let's go, let's go now!”

“I do too, I just got paid...” Dipper took him by the hand and led Will to his car. Dipper was stunned to now words when he saw Bill was sitting comfortably on top of the hood, fidgeting with his phone.

“Where are you two going?” Bill asked, looking up at them, the look in his eyes chilling Dipper to the quick.

“Oh... nowhere, really. I was just hungry. I thought I'd get Will some food too,” Dipper managed. “Are- are you hungry?”

“... You're lying,” Bill said, simply. “I know you are... You're a bad liar, straight one.”

Dipper shivered. “I'm not... not lying...”

“... Blue, come here,” Bill gestured at him.

Will moved toward him, oddly not surprised that Bill was here to stop him. He trembled next to him. “Here...”

“Oh, my precious little monster...” Bill stroked his cheek with the back of his fingers. “Did you really think it would be that easy...”

“Of course not... it never is...” Will whispered. “I was just wanting to get some food. We were practicing improv. Sorry. I hear practicing what you know and want makes it easier to get better at acting... I know I can't get away from you. You're everywhere... everything... I'll take my last breath seeing you standing next to me. I would never risk his life on this. I know you'd kill him.”

“I would,” Bill answered, his voice oddly terrifying to Dipper. “The last one I pushed into traffic... Dipper I would grind up into hamburger and make you eat him and regret your stupid choice. If you ever talk to him, or be seen near him, I'll know, and I'll really kill him. I thought we were much better now... I thought we were making so much progress... But you, you are so intent on escaping. Do I need to chop your legs off so you can't run away?”

Will started gasping for air, struggling to breathe. “I... n- no-” he struggled with his pill bottle in his pocket, taking one. “No, please... please don't... don't hurt him, or- or me... I promise, this wasn't an effort to run away... and I won't ever run... I promise. I'm- I'm yours, forever, Pyramid...”

“Okay... alright. Good,” Bill beamed. “You are, you're right... You know I feel about you...”

Will stood still, letting Bill pet him. Bill looked at Dipper. “You can go eat. Bring Blue back whatever he wants.”

“I- of course... What do you want, W- Will?” Dipper managed.

“Um, the Mediterranean salad from that... uh, that Burger King,” Will answered, nervous.

“Of course. I'll bring it back to you. You want to wait with Bill in the cafeteria?”

“Yes, I'll wait in the cafeteria.” Will nodded.

Bill hopped off the hood, putting his arm around Will. “Let's go, then,”

Will was lead back to the cafeteria, sitting nervously there, with Bill's arm clamped around him. “You don't have to hold me down, Pyramid...”

“You're wrong. I know completely that you were planning on running away with him, I just let you two lie and pretended I believed you... I can hear everything...” Bill lightly poked Will's chest. “Everything you say and hear.”

Chills bloomed on his arms and up his back. “I... I knew you knew...”

“Yet you still tried to lie,” Bill hummed, kissing Will's eyebrow. “You're so cute. He really would do anything for you... I told you he would.”

“If you actually love me, if you feel anything for me... can't you let me be happy?” Will whispered.

“You'd be so much happier with me, though...” Bill tapped his chin. “Hm? I could make you so much happier than that bratty Pine Tree... Let me give you everything.”

“You stripped everything, every last thing I had away... and you're replacing it with... you? That's not...” Will trailed off. “I... I accept it, I know there is no other choice... I just... I'm so scared... I am scared of you...”

“What do I need to do to prove to you that you don't need to be afraid of me, as long as you obey me?” Bill smiled. “I don't want to hurt you. I want you to be happy, and I want to make you that way with my own hands. Hearing you mewling... in bed, at night... I thought that was proving to you that I wanted you to be happy.”

Will remained silent, not sure how to answer.

They sat that way, Will resisting the poisonous words Bill whispered in his ear. Finally, Dipper came in, carrying two bags of food. He took a seat across from them. “Hi, I'm back. Here, Will, I got you your salad,”

“Thanks,” Will said, taking the bag. “... I'm really grateful to you, but... this is the last time we'll ever be able to talk... I really thought of you as a friend. It was nice to know you, Dipper,” he reached out, holding his hand out to Dipper to shake.

“... I can't talk to him anymore?” Dipper glanced at Bill.

“Not without me right next to him,” Bill smiled, and it was so ominous looking, Dipper got chills all over again.

“I see. Alright, I- I agree...” Dipper reached out, shaking Will's hand. “It's nice being friends with you. Even if we can't hang out anymore... I do think of you as a friend. Even still.”

“If we break the rule he set, Dipper, he said he will kill you... and I won't ask that of you,” Will said seriously, pulling his salad out of the bag. “... You don't have to worry about me. I've never had friends for long... and so now, it's just my life. I won't be broken by it. Don't worry.”

“Mmm, I made all his old friends and partners run for the hills,” Bill chuckled. “It was a huge mistake, one I regret... but if I suspected you were only a friend, you could stay his friend. But I think... there's more to you than friends. I won't let you remain by his side if he wasn't taking advantage of you more... but he is too pure to do that. No, he'll get attached, and he'll try to leave me again like he did today...”

Dipper flinched. “We- we weren't-”

“Pine Tree.”

Dipper froze up, Bill's voice was low and dripping with some kind of violent, murderous intent. It was like he flipped a switch from... “Y- yes?”

“You are a really, really bad liar. Will is not good, but, you... you reveal your lies in over five ways every time you tell them...” Bill rested his elbows on the table, resting his chin on the backs of his hands. “I knew the second you two lied to me, and even before you lied. I knew... Don't lie to me. I'm not as dumb as you think.”

Dipper let out a slow, nervous sigh. “I- you're right. I'm sorry.”

“If you do talk to him, or meet up with him again and I'm not there... I will kill you...” Bill hummed. “Understand? You have to obey me... or you'll die. You can remain friends with Shooting Star... but not with this one.”

“I get it,” Dipper sighed. “I will... I'll... look, am I not allowed to love him too?”

“You can feel whatever you want, just keep your hands off and body away from him,” Bill said, amused. “If you cross my boundaries, you'll cross the boundary of life and death.”

“I get it,” Dipper sighed. “... I... do. I'll stay away... unless you're with him.”

“Sounds good,” Bill beamed.

Mabel bounced up to the table, throwing her arms around Dipper's neck. “Dip! Will! … You,” she gave Bill a serious look. “What're you all chatting about?”

“Haha, my name's Bill, you know...” Bill said, amused. “Did... you happen to know that these two were being intimate behind my back?”

Mabel blinked. “... Oh my god, they were? I joked with them that it seemed like they were... but they said they weren't!”

“Yeah... they were,” Bill smiled, his smile looking dangerous. “I'm glad you're honest with me... they lied.”

“I- I really didn't know... they didn't tell me. I knew you were dating him, even though you hurt him so much...” Mabel said, surprised, taking a seat next to Dipper. “But I didn't know... Dipper, I wouldn't have actually guessed you would steal away a man from the guy he's dating. Dipper, you can't be a homewrecker.”

“That wasn't my intention...” Dipper closed his eyes. “I just fell... fell for him, out of the blue, and... I wasn't trying to hurt anyone. Believe me... I didn't want to hurt anyone. I just... Look, I'd never met a man in my entire life I was attracted to. But when... I went to your dorm t o hang out, and I saw Will there and he... I don't know. I don't know. The exact moment it took place, I couldn't tell you. I wasn't trying to... to hurt anyone.”

“Well, you nearly hurt me today,” Bill smiled. “You want to hear what he did additionally today, Shooting Star?”

Mabel twitched, in surprise. “I- Ah... Bill, you are... you're scaring me. I- sure, I'll hear but...”

“Today, I heard him making private plans with Blue in his dorm to run away and get a plane ticket and just fly far, far away... they were going to move away from me and leave me all alone, looking for my Blue forever until I found him...” Bill smiled.

“I- ah...” Mabel flinched. “... It would have been quite hard for... for our family, but, I guess at least he would have been alive...”

“I'll give you the same warning I gave him, before you showed up, Shooting Star,” Bill tilted his head, amused. “You can be friends with Blue, but if you try to date him, or run away with him, or anything I don't like, I will kill you. I'll allow you to be friends with him, but if you try anything else... I'll kill you, the same as I would your brother. I'm only forgiving Pine Tree because he's cowardly and I can demand anything from him. I know he won't do it again. Pine Tree can never be near him again without me there too.”

Mabel shivered. “If... if he does... are you... going to... kill him? Or is that just beat him up...”

“I mean literally kill him,” Bill looked at her. “I'll turn him into hamburger and make Will eat him... eventually he will, or he'll starve to death.”

“I'd starve to death...” Will admitted.

Bill looked at him. Will shivered. “Please don't come see me. Dipper, he'll... he will. I wouldn't be surprised if he killed you... I am absolutely not worth your living life. If you died because you wanted to see me, that would be really pointless. I valued your friendship... and I valued that you were willing to try to go with me.” Will picked up his trash, putting it into the bag. He got up to throw it away and Bill watched him.

“If you want to save your own lives and you left him and never saw him again, that would be fine...” Bill glanced over at him. “Your choice. You can risk your life for Blue or try it.”

Mabel was silent a moment. “Dipper and I've been through worse things. I'm not going to leave him friendless. I'll just take care to not talk about anything you wouldn't like... and we'll stay friends.”

“Sure, sure.” Bill looked up, getting to his feet.

Will came back over, and Bill put his arm around him. “Do you need some time with your little friend, or are you ready to come home with me now?” Bill asked, his voice syrupy sweet and totally fake.

Will shivered. “Bill...”

“Blue, give it up. Bye, you two,” Bill said, amused, leading Will to his car.

Dipper and Mabel looked at each other until the door shut behind Will. “I- I'm scared. Dipper, you made friends with a serial killer.”

“He's not my friend,” Dipper said, sharply, gripping his chest. “... Here, you hungry? I can't possibly eat... I was going to save Will. Now it's worse, worse than ever...”

“Dipper, let's go back to your dorm and we'll talk about it to the fullest.”

They went back to Dipper's dorm and Dipper's roommate was flirting with a girl on his bed. He barely glanced at Dipper and Mabel, before rubbing her thigh. “You're really something, sexy,”

Mabel plopped down on Dipper's bed. “So, let's talk about your FWB and his boyfriend!”

Dipper blushed. “Mabel!”

“I'm serious, I'm sure that you two would've dated and been really happy if Bill hadn't ruined everything!” Mabel beamed at him.

“Agh, okay, I'll tell you, just quit yelling,” Dipper sighed, sinking down on the bed. “Okay, so... I was in class and... I left class, it ended, and I was headed here and I spotted-”

“No, go back, start at the beginning! Where did it start? Where did it end?” Mabel asked, eagerly.

“... Okay. So... that time he came here, and we were talking and he was sad... and I was comforting him, and we kissed. It was like sparks curling in my gut-” Dipper flinched when there was a loud bang. His roommate was leading the girl through the room by the hand. “My roommate is a fag. Let's not listen to this gay shit. Come on, let's go out and get some lunch.”

Dipper flinched as they left, and he looked at Mabel. “Maybe getting me set against my roommate wasn't...”

“Look, he's surrounded by gay every day. How does he think he can get away from it?” Mabel threw her hands out, before pulling the burger out of the bag. “Anyway, if he gets bad, you can get a room reassignment, right?”

“That's not the way to... ugh,” Dipper rubbed his face. “So, Will and I kissed and I felt sparks in my gut and... I felt heat pooling in my... body... I wanted him. We kissed a while and ended it, and then you burst in and accused us of kissing-”

“I knew it!” Mabel shrieked. “I knew it! Yes!”

“Okay, okay, right. So that was the first time,” Dipper rubbed his face. “Then the next time, we met up and we got to making out here in my dorm... I agreed to let him stay the night, he took a nap. Bill showed up, demanded he come home with him. He left... Will came again to see me, we were intimate... we had sex-”

“Oh my god,” Mabel gasped, lowering her burger. “Are you kidding? You had gay sex with Will? Does Bill know?”

“No! Of course not!” Dipper scowled. “Anyway, it felt amazing... Will loved it too, it was great. This time, I was headed here from class and I spotted Will. I ran to talk to him. Will freaked out, tried to run, told me not to touch him... I soothed him, I managed to get him to agree to come back here with me... He did. We talked. He said... he was really scared. Every time Bill touched him caused his fear and pleasure to mix and he didn't want it... and he had asked me before to run away with him. I said no. He asked me again, this time with tears in his beautiful eyes... he said please run away with me... and I said yes. I said I would. We headed out to my car to go right away and Bill was sitting on it. He caught us.”

Mabel shook her head. “I can't believe it... I really can't. You were going to save him. I'm so sorry...”

“I wanted to save him. I did. The only thing I can think of is to.... to find some way for Bill to be... extremely distracted, or hurt... and then... then we can run away. But I don't want to hurt him... I just want to save Will,” Dipper sighed. “But I believe him when he said kill me. Will said, his last boyfriend, Bill pushed him into traffic. He didn't die, but he was really injured and when Will went to see him after, he cried, and he told Will he didn't ever want to see him again. I guess he knew it was Bill but no one saw it... So he just knew he had to say goodbye to Will or die. ...I wouldn't do that. I couldn't just leave him.”

“Aww, you're so romantic,” Mabel rubbed his arm, taking another bite of her burger.

“Will has never had anything since Bill became his brother,” Dipper said, seriously. “I want... I want Will to be happy, and be free of him. I think he could get away so easily if he didn't say anything about … but he shouldn't have to go alone. I wanted to be there with him and... help him.”

Mabel sighed. “He would have been happy with you, Dipper.”

“... If only I'd never said to Bill that he liked Will! I should have known he was insane, there were signs everywhere... but I thought... I thought if he knew he loved him, then, it would be okay. He wouldn't be as crazy as he... he wouldn't... But I was wrong! Agh!” Dipper leapt to his feet, pacing across the room. “Now he's just making Will suffer and having as much sex with him as he wants! It's now just torture!” He slammed his fist down on the sink counter top. “I signed Will up into torture for the rest of his life! I have to find a way to get Will free!”

Mabel was silent as she continued to eat. She pulled her phone out, typing on it. Dipper's phone went off and anguished and furious, he checked it. _**I have a plan... it might not work, but we can discuss it over text to find a way to see if it will work.**_

Dipper looked at her. He texted her back, slamming the back of his phone down on the counter.

“Woah, Dip! Don't break your phone!” Mabel said, angry.

Dipper and Mabel continued talking through text as Dipper suffered and grieved his loss. He was so angry, he couldn't stand it...

 

Finally, a week later, after a week of seeing Will suffer more and more, they had their plan ironed out. It was dangerous for Mabel, but it was the only way it could work. Dipper made Mabel swear to be as safe as she possibly could. She got several self-protection devices to be safer, but Dipper didn't feel reassured regardless.

Mabel managed to get Will's permission to spend time with her after classes, and Bill submitted, amused. “Have fun with your friend. Remember, I can hear everything, Blue. Later... I'll be back in two hours to collect you.”

“Two hours?” Mabel pouted. “I wanted to play makeover with him...”

“How old are you?” Bill asked, before running his fingers through his blond hair. “That's all you get. You better hurry.”

 

Mabel led Will back to her dorm, sitting him down on the bed, brushing his hair. “Will, I missed you...”

Will was shaky and nervous, looking around endlessly. “I... um,”

Mabel brushed his hair out carefully. “As a friend, of course. Completely platonic.”

Mabel continued brushing his hair, listening to Will's stoic silence, and finally, when she started to put the blue nail polish on him, she heard his soft sobbing. Her heart twisted. “I'm sorry, Will. Did I hurt you?”

Will shook his head, continuing to cry.

Mabel continued applying the nail polish, silently trying to figure out how to soothe his heart. “Okay. Well... if I do, please, please, please tell me.” She applied both hands, before taking her phone out. “Got a text.” She looked on her phone a minute, before typing back to them.

“I can't...” Will whispered.

They were silent for another long moment. Mabel showed Will her phone. Will read the message and his face contorted. _**We have one more final plan. We discussed it all week. It's going to work. Please, trust us...**_

“Cute cat video, huh? It's not really going to help you that much but I thought it was cute,” Mabel put it away.

“So many of my... my friends or boyfriends or girlfriends...” Will whispered, weakly. “They all tried something, and they got so hurt... and it was almost Dipper... When I saw him, on the hood... I was sure... I was so sure... I really thought I was going to see him die... I'm just so glad he didn't... I'm... There is nothing left of me. I was going to try to kill myself again, but he caught me. Mabel, I can't even die! I can't die and I can't escape and -” Will sobbed.

Mabel rubbed his shoulders. “Will, I'm so sorry. I am, I'm so sorry...”

“If I could just die... everything would be okay...” Will sobbed. “Everything would be better.”

Mabel hugged him. “Don't, Will... don't... You just have to survive. You can do it, I know death seems like the best choice... but it isn't, I promise...” She typed another message, showing Will _**I know we don't seem secure. But we're going to get you to safety. Dipper and I will save you. We won't give up.**_

“You two are so stupid to think that anything we could have done would... do anything. I've suffered for so long, so long...” Will sobbed into her shoulder. “It's... alright, I'll keep surviving... just, thank you for still wanting to see me. I have to have something. Anything. But if it does come down to it, survive...”

“Shh,” Mabel touched a finger to his lips, before beginning to put makeup on him. “Come on, we have two hours.”

By the end of the two hours, Will was getting more relaxed, and he looked at himself in the mirror. “Gosh, I look so crazy.”

Mabel giggled. “You're beautiful! Here, let me wipe your makeup and then we'll send you back to him. We'll leave the nail polish and everything.”

“Alright,” Will sighed. Mabel used her makeup wipes, carefully removing all of Will's makeup, before escorting him out to the cafeteria.

Bill waved. “You behaved so well. Thanks for bringing him back. I listened to your conversation. It seemed innocent. Truly... Let's go, Blue. We'll get dinner and take you home.”

“Yes...” Will shuffled over to him. “Good... bye...” He waved to Mabel, before following Bill out to the car.

In the car, Bill started it, smiling at Will. “Where do you want to eat at?”

“Um... wherever you want...” Will whispered.

“Good answer! There's a really nice restaurant I want to take you to!” Bill began driving and Will just looked out the window.

 

At home, Will stood in the living room, hands clasped in front of him. It was already... He didn't have a chance. Just keep submitting until whatever happened... That's all he had to do.

“You can go to my room. My bed's more comfortable than yours,” Bill grinned.

Will headed to the bedroom, taking a seat on the bed. Bill entered, climbing over top of him. “That dinner was really good, wasn't it?”

Will looked away from him. Bill snarled, gripping his neck tightly. “You're so stupid. Why won't you answer me? It was good, wasn't it?”

Will shivered. “Yes...”

“Good!” Bill stripped Will's clothes off. “For your niceness in submitting so good, I'll use some lube tonight,”

“Do what you'll do.”

 

Another week passed and Will felt increasingly crushed as the days went on. He began giving up, just submitting to Bill in every way he could. He often felt Dipper's eyes on him in the cafeteria, but Dipper didn't move close to him. He was on guard, as he should be.

It had been two and a half weeks when things changed. Bill was heading to class, when Mabel stopped him outside the building. “Bill! Bill, wait!” She scrambled after him.

Bill stopped short, looking at her. “... What? What is it?”

Mabel flinched. “Well... I- look, this is really embarrassing, but I feel really sure I saw... over there, someone naked go into that bush and... I'm freaking out but I don't want a naked guy on our campus... Can you please go look? Please?”

Bill laughed, surprised. “A naked guy in the bush? That's the stupidest-”

“Bill, please! I am sure I saw a naked guy jump in there and I can't go check! If he's in there and he pops out, I'll have a heart attack!” Mabel cried, rubbing the tears out of her eyes. “Please!”

Bill scowled, before sighing. “Fine... I'll go take a look...”

He trudged over to the bush, looking in it. “Nothing is in here, can I go to class now or is there a unicorn over there?”

“Ugh, I hope not, I hate them!” Mabel scowled. “Go on to class, thank you!”

“Okay. Any more stupid requests, don't bother me with them,” Bill trudged on to class, irritated.

 

Dipper leaned forward in his seat. “We have a whole hour before his class gets out, we get in, you change clothes, and leave all your things except your cash and ID cards behind, and … you know what we do, right, Will?”

Will was silent, looking out the window. “I'll hold back my excitement until it's over. If it works, I will be really happy.”

“It has to work. I'll give my life to make sure you stay safe,” Dipper promised.

They went through the airport check station, and Will changed his clothes, throwing away everything else he had. “I threw away everything I owned...”

Dipper took him by the hand over to the ticket counter. “Come on, as far away as we can possibly get.”

“Is your sister safe?” Will worried. “I wanted to ask but... it's...”

“Don't worry, she has every protection tool a person can buy and she's been practicing self-defense ever since he threatened to kill us. I promise, it'll work...” Dipper assured.

 

Mabel texted her friend, giggling as she sent it, before a shadow fell over her. She glanced up from the table in the cafeteria. Bill was looming over her.

“Hi, Bill!” Mabel beamed.

“It was you, wasn't it?” Bill snarled.

“It was me... what?” Mabel asked, sounding perfectly confused.

Bill whipped out a knife, holding it to her throat. “My brother's tracking... it's outside my range and they're gone. You covered for them, didn't you? You tried to hide this, and you tried to my face to hide it. Did you really think you could succeed?”

Mabel gasped, before screaming. “Don't hurt me!” She lifted her hand and sprayed him directly in the eye with pepper spray, scrambling out of the seat, running into a table of people. “Help me! That guy has a knife!”

Bill was doubled over, tears pouring out of his single eye, screaming in rage and pain. The knife had dropped and skidded across the floor. Someone dialed 911 and a couple other guys jumped on him, holding him down tightly.

Mabel was crying, being protected by the people at the table she was at. “Thank you guys for protecting me, he held that to my throat! I didn't even do anything! It's so lucky my mom told me to get the pepper spray just in case!”

“We won't let him hurt you,” the people who surrounded her reassured.

 

Dipper settled into the plane seat next to Will, sighing, tipping his head back. “We're so much... so much more secure now... we have a chance. We never said where we were going just in case, but if it doesn't seem to work, we can always cross over into the closest country from there. Do the clothes I bought you fit?”

Will looked at Dipper. “... They do... you're sure your sister is safe?”

“She has to be...” Dipper said, looking out the window. “We had a whole plan arranged. Before we left the campus, she'd ask him to do something for her to attract the attention to her. He'd go to class and we'd take off. When he gets out of class and he looks for you, he'd do whatever he does to find you and you're gone. And I'm gone. He'd immediately blame Mabel. We know it... Look at that ocean, beautiful isn't it?”

“It is beautiful... but I'm worried about Mabel,” Will repeated.

“Well, we knew he'd go for Mabel. So we figured he'd go to her and he'd start some kind of violent, angry fight with her. So when he does, and he will, even if he's in the cafeteria... Mabel would freak out and pepper spray him and run away and cry. She'd make a big scene and he'd probably go to jail or at least spend some time with the cops which gives us that much more time to get wherever we're going. And in time, we can decide what we want to do. We have so much time now,” he put his arm around Will. “I'll contact her as soon as we land and make sure she's okay- oh, wait, I can check online. Want me to check online?”

“Please!” Will nodded. “I will not be happy if I got free but your sister died or got hospitalized.”

Dipper checked online, contacting Mabel with a web app. She replied back a moment later. “Okay, she said that he just got picked up by the cops and they're going to do a full report on it. It worked out exactly like we thought it would, except it's even better. He whipped out a knife on her, in the cafeteria full of people. She screamed, pepper sprayed him, ran away, hid. He got restrained and the cops got him. No one got hurt.”

“... I'm so glad she got safe,” Will sighed, rubbing his face. He curled up against Dipper's shoulder. “We're going to be really happy there... I hope. I hope I didn't ruin your future with this...”

“You didn't,” Dipper ran his fingers across Will's cheek, resting them on his jaw. “You didn't ruin anything.”

Will smiled softly. “... I want to apologize in advance... I think it will take me a while to understand, Dipper. To understand I'm free of him... It'll take a while.”

“I want you to be completely free of him,” Dipper looked into Will's eye. “Never see him again.”

Will closed his eye, remaining comfortable against Dipper.

 

Dipper settled onto the bed, laughing. “Yeah, it wasn't hard to transfer here, don't worry. And they have a lot of additional classes on supernatural things! I'm really excited.”

“How about Will? Is he still in college?” Mabel asked, smiling. “You're a nerdbag.”

“I am a nerdbag, and Will decided college wasn't for him. He's so smart, it's a shame, but he's just going to keep working. He's already a manager at a convenience store. He's working so hard,” Dipper chuckled. “He also thought that maybe his family could get the information about where he is, and he can't bear to imagine Bill coming here for him.”

“No, I get it. When that knife pressed against my throat...” Mabel paused. “No, I get it, I wouldn't want him to know where I was either. I just got lucky because I've got a mile restraining order on him. So he can't go to college with me anymore. I couldn't help it, I was afraid!”

“Lucky you,” Dipper smiled.

“Indeed,” Mabel agreed. “So is he there, I want to talk to him!”

Dipper laughed. “He's not, he's at work! But I promise I'll have him call you when he gets home.”

“Where are you guys staying?” Mabel asked.

“We got an apartment here. I'm going to school and work, and he's working, and we're managing to keep it paid,” Dipper nodded. “Did you like the pictures?”

“Oh man, yes!” Mabel beamed. “They were beautiful! That's like, Vermont or something, right?”

“Vermont,” Dipper chuckled. “No, it's... ugh, I feel so nervous thinking about telling you... ugh, sorry. It's... look, we've been running forever now and I'm not liking the idea of saying it out loud.”

“I see, well, can you text me where it is? Our parents want to know too, it'll help them,” Mabel insisted.

“I'll text you. Don't say anything that says where it is,” Dipper frowned. He texted Mabel.

Mabel looked at her phone. “Oh! That explains the pictures, like, really well! Okay, so I wasn't too far off!”

Dipper laughed. “Well, I think you weren't close, but I guess you could have been more wrong.”

“Working like that, how do you manage to pay your rent?” Mabel asked, nervous. “I mean, can you afford to pay it all?”

“We... well, if it wasn't for Will aggressively managing how we spend our money, we would not be able to!” Dipper admitted. “At first, we were living off ramen and water, and occasionally we got some protein and vegetables. But after we both got jobs and stuff, we started making it. We got to eat normal food and finally we saved enough to get a small house. I figured out that buying the basic ingredients are the most important part. If you buy the flour, the salt, the sugar, the eggs, the milk... it allows you to cook almost anything you can buy.”

“Hmm. So, are you able to buy everything you need now?” Mabel asked.

“We had to get some things we didn't really want to buy, but we needed to. They're things we'll never have to buy again, the rest of our lives,” Dipper nodded. “We're really good. I know our parents are worried, but I needed to. Will needed to get free, too. I'll call them and talk to them. I'll tell them where I am too... I just need to make sure I confirm it with Will.”

“Dip, it's been a year... are you sure you still need to be that nervous?”

“Of course,” Dipper frowned. “He held a knife to your throat. He suggested killing me and butchering me and feeding it to Will. Do you think I should be less cautious?”

“... no, you're right, I take that back,” Mabel sighed. “Well, call me again when Will-”

“Wait,” Dipper paused. “He's back now.”

Dipper went to go meet Will in the living room. Will removed his shoes, glancing up at Dipper. “Hi, I'm home!”

“Does it feel good to be able to say that with happiness?” Dipper smiled. “Here, talk to Mabel.”

“It does! Hi, Mabel,” Will answered, taking the phone. “How are you doing?”

Dipper watched Will talk to Mabel for a while, before Will put her on speaker, settling down on their bed.

“I told her where we are,” Dipper admitted, sitting next to him. “My parents want to know where I am, do you think it's safe to tell them?”

Will was silent. “It's... been a year. I'm just starting to feel happy I'm alive and with you... I don't think your parents would tell him. Just be careful.”

“Of course. I'll ask them not to tell anyone who isn't family,” Dipper kissed his forehead. “So, that'll help. As soon as we're done talking to Mabel, we'll call them.”

“Sure,” Will nodded. “It's just … I'm still nervous. For years, nothing I could do would get me away from him. Now I'm finally away. I haven't been beaten or hurt, or demeaned, or … anything. I am beginning to feel safe. If he showed up again... I don't know what I'd do.”

“We'll stay safe, for real,” Dipper smiled. “I promise. You have a position of power now. Your own home that he can't enter, a job, an entire life away from him.”

“Alright... maybe we can call them and tell them with Mabel here too,” Will looked up at Dipper.

Dipper nodded. “Alright. Let's do it...” he kissed Will's eyebrow. “You and me. Thanks for standing by us, Mabel.”

“Of course.”

Dipper put her on hold, calling his parents. It was finally time.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, here's the ending of this. I have such a deep, deep attachment to Will... I'm so glad I finally figured out how to write him. I always wanted to and didn't know what I was building off of. I hope y'all like/d it!


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